


Rewrite The Stars

by MedieavalBeabe



Category: Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: Comedy, Dialogue lifted from Ice Age 4, Enemies to Lovers, Fluff, Gen, Lightsaber Battles, Marriage, Pregnancy, References to Sex, Romance, Song from The Greatest Showman, references to rape, sensual stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-24
Updated: 2019-03-24
Packaged: 2019-12-06 21:46:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 21,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18225821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MedieavalBeabe/pseuds/MedieavalBeabe
Summary: You are the Emperor’s daughter, Darth Nova, and you first met Luke Skywalker on a mission to kill him after the destruction of the first Death Star. Since then you have met and clashed on several occasions; yet after your father is finally killed and you find yourself captured by the Rebels, Luke convinces them to keep you alive?Why?That’s kind of complicated.Is it really possible to rewrite the stars in a world where your fates are already mapped out for you?





	1. Prologue

_It was a starless night, pitch black. Perfect. Skywalker wouldn’t see you coming._

_You had sensed his presence about ten minutes into emerging from your hiding place. Thank the stars you’d had the good sense not to arrive in an Imperial Fighter and alert the entire Alliance to your presence on Orto Plutonia two days earlier. You’d waited until they stopped being suspicious of your tiny one-man craft, that could easily pass as a piece of space garbage fallen off a salvage barge or else an out-of-date escape pod that had been launched from a passing fleet by accident, to make your move. By the time any Rebels had noticed your ship amid the frigid icy terrain of Orto Plutonia, you’d long since evacuated and hidden yourself until such a time as you could catch Skywalker unawares._

_And now it was time to strike._

_You stilled your breathing, like your father had taught you. Of course, he hadn’t sent you, this was all your idea, to kill the man who had destroyed his greatest weapon, and finally earn some praise and recognition in the eyes of the self-proclaimed Emperor of the galaxy._

_Thankfully, the snow didn’t crunch under your feet as you stole swiftly up behind the man, hardly daring to believe it was so easy. That was a mistake, however, allowing you to briefly let down our guard as you withdrew your lightsaber from your belt, raised it, ignited it..._

_And Skywalker whipped around and parried your blow, blue light clashing with red._

_Your jaw dropped as you inwardly cursed yourself for being so easily taken in, before cursing him for having the **audacity** to stop you from killing him. How dare he? Now they were ignited, your lightsabers provided enough light for the pair of you to see one another properly. To say that Skywalker was taken aback would have been an understatement; he didn’t know where to begin with how utterly astonished he was on seeing his attacker. For a start, he hadn’t been expecting you to be a woman, much less a Jedi, and even much less a rather beautiful one at that, dressed in a red shirt with black sleeves over black trousers and boots, covered by a black cloak. For your part, you were somewhat surprised by how young he is; you hadn’t been expecting a man about your age, or perhaps even a little bit older, you’d been expecting an aged warrior not a mere farm boy. _

_Common sense kicked in and you stepped back, not giving him the opportunity to strike first by pushing your lightsaber away, and raised your weapon, half frowning, half glaring at him. The pair of you stared one another down before Skywalker finally spoke first._

_“Can I ask why you’re trying to kill me?”_

_“Can you give me a good reason not to?” you countered._

_“You’re a Jedi, aren’t you? I thought we were meant to stick together.”_

_You shrugged. “I’m not a Jedi, I just know how to fight like one. I was trained by the best.”_

_“Impossible.”_

_“Why?”_

_“Because **I** was trained by the best.”_

_You laughed. “You, Farm Boy? How much training did you get? A few days?” You gasped, mockingly. “A few hours?”_

_Skywalker raised an eyebrow, not lowering his lightsaber. “You didn’t come here just to insult me, but before you try and kill me again, I’m going to ask you again; why?”_

_You scowled at him. “You destroyed the Death Star, that’s reason enough.”_

_Skywalker frowned. “So you’re with the Empire? How is that possible? I can sense there’s Light in you-”_

_He cut himself off as you bristled before swiping out with your lightsaber, gripped tightly in your leather arm guards/gloves. Again, Skywalker parried your blow in the nick of time before realising you were now in full fight mode and he needed to join you. Your weapons hummed as they met repeatedly, the pair of you caught in a bizarre dance of death back and forth across the frozen ground. Eventually, however, you got the upper hand and knocked him off his feet, sending his lightsaber spinning from his hand. You bore down on him with your lightsaber right at his throat. One swift move and you could finish him._

_“There’s no Light in me, don’t you ever try to pretend there is! Any there once was got kicked out of me by my father!”_

_Skywalker just blinked at you before shaking his head. “No. It’s there. I can sense it.”_

_“One more word, Farm Boy, and I swear-!”_

_“If you were completely Dark inside, you’d have killed me already!” Skywalker interrupted._

_You rolled your eyes. “Well, I was **going to,** but **you** ruined it! You weren’t supposed to stop me, you know!”_

_“Alright, so kill me.” Skywalker relaxed the hand that had been previously reaching to pull his lightsaber back to him with the Force and lay back, waiting for you to deal the fatal blow. “Go ahead, I’ll let you.”_

_You stared at him, taking a deep breath to steady yourself. “I will, you know. I just have to twist to one side and you’ll die.”_

_Skywalker nodded, seriously. “Alright, so do it already.”_

_You tightened your grip on the lightsaber, and readied yourself. The next thing you know ten whole seconds had gone by and Skywalker was still alive. You took another deep breath, pulled back your lightsaber and made as if to slit his throat, only for some reason you stopped just short of his neck. Suddenly it was as if trying to kill him was an effort, like something was physically draining you of the energy to do so._

_Slowly, very slowly, Skywalker reached up until his hand grasped around your wrist and for some reason you let him gently push your arm to your side, the lightsaber moving back away from his throat. You were breathing hard, like you’d just run a mile. Skywalker allowed himself to sit up, although he didn’t move any further._

_“What did you do?” you whispered, your voice threatening as you started to tremble with visible anger. “What did you do to me?”_

_“I didn’t do anything. You had the opportunity to kill me-”_

_“Stop it!” You yelped, grasping him with the Force. Skywalker cut himself off as you had him by the throat and he started to pull at the collar of his jacket, fighting for air. But even then, it was like the Force would only let you go so far before you had to let go, your fingers were starting to ache and that never happened. You stared at your hand as Skywalker gasped for air, massaging his neck, before you stared at him incredulously. “What’s happening to me?”_

_“I think you’ve finally met someone you can’t kill,” Skywalker replies, reaching for his lightsaber._

_“Don’t get cocky with me, Farm Boy, I’m probably just drained right now,” you snapped._

_“Whatever,” Skywalker mumbled, pulling his lightsaber into his hand. To your surprise, however, he deactivated and pocketed it before getting to his feet. “So, am I at least allowed to know your name?”_

_You watched him, suspiciously. “Darth Nova.”_

_“I thought all Sith wore masks.”_

_“Not all of us. Have you never heard of Darth Maul? He didn’t need one. Besides, I just told you, I was never a Jedi so I can’t be a Sith.”_

_Skywalker frowned. “Then who are you?”_

_“The Emperor’s daughter.”_

_His hand twitched near his lightsaber as if itching to grab it and end your life. Still, somehow his voice remained steady as he said “If that’s true, then you must have a name other than the one you just gave me, the name you were born with.”_

_You scowled at him. “(Y/N).”_

_“Princes (Y/N)...” Skywalker tried it out. Unfortunately for him, this just served to make you angry as it brought back countless memories of being taunted by others who called you that, and you whipped out your lightsaber again._

_“Don’t call me Princess!”_

_“Well, then don’t call me Farm Boy!” Skywalker fired back._

_“I’ll call you what you are!”_

_“Then I’ll do likewise!”_

_You faltered slightly. Never had any man that you’d ever tried to kill showed complete fearlessness in your presence. Hell, you’d made older men than your father cry for mercy and beg for their lives before now, but this Skywalker not only had the audacity to fight back, he also had the nerve to **shout** at you? Unwillingly, something stirred in your chest and ovaries at the same time, something you’d never felt before. What was this strange new feeling? You looked up into his blue eyes, how intense they were. You supposed, in a strange, non-conventional kind of way, he was rather handsome. His expression seemed to soften as you stared at one another, both waiting for the other to make the next move. _

_“You’re annoying, you know that..?” It was meant to sound threatening but for some reason, it came out weak, as though you were too lost in his gaze to really put any force behind those words. Almost as if you were about to..._

_Whoa! That was so not happening!_

_“I was about to say the same about you.” Skywalker murmured back, not taking his eyes off yours for a second._

_When was there suddenly only a hair’s breadth in between your lips? Whoa!_

_You jumped back and drew your lightsaber again. “We seem to have reached an impasse, Skywalker.” The confidence returns to your voice again. “I can’t let you live, and you can’t let me live. One of us has to die.”_

_“Or both,” Skywalker countered, drawing his lightsaber again._

_You shrugged. “Either way...”_

_Lightsabers drawn again, you brought them together and the battle was on. You did your best to outmanoeuvre him with a few moves he probably wasn’t aware of yet, yet he was still able to keep up with you. You were certain you could kill him as long as he fought back, the heat of battle was the best time to kill someone because your emotions would take over and give you the strength you needed to carry it through._

_It was only when your lightsabers were crossed as the pair of you used your physical strength alone to push against each other that you realised what was different about the scene that had started in complete darkness._

_You could see him._

_Turning, you glanced towards the east and frowned. “How long have we been doing this?”_

_“I lost count after the fifteenth insult,” Skywalker replied, also looking to where you were looking, in the direction of the rising sun._

_You looked up at him. “Give up?”_

_“Already tried,” Skywalker countered._

_You threw yourself back, ducking under the blade of his lightsaber and tripped him again. This time, however, he retained his grip on his lightsaber and wasn’t about to let you kill him. “You fight well for a farmer,” you mocked. “Have you ever thought about joining the Dark Side?”_

_“Never!” Angrily, Skywalker leapt to his feet. You flinched because you hadn’t been expecting him to get so heated. He pointed his lightsaber at you. “I’ll never turn to the Dark Side like you!”_

_“Well, I guess we’re not so different after all, then,” you taunted. “Because **I’ll** never turn to the Light!”_

_Blade met blade yet again as the two of you continued your battle in the light of the early morning, neither of you showing any signs of tiring or letting up until-_

_“Luke!”_

_Skywalker turned, distracted by the arrival of his friends, and you took the opportunity to leap up and kick him in the back, knocking him on his face. Before he could grab his lightsaber, you leapt on him and had yours at his throat again. “First rule of being a Jedi, Skywalker, never let your guard down, ever.” You had to bring up the lightsaber then in time to deflect a hit from someone’s blaster and you quickly leapt off Skywalker. He rolled over and looked up at you as you continued to deflect the blasts until the Rebels stopped firing at you. You lowered the blade and then pointed at him with it. “This isn’t over.”_

_Like all good warriors, you knew when to retreat, although you were furious with yourself for underestimating Skywalker’s abilities, and for failing your father. Still, there was always next time, and there would be a next time, you knew. And next time, he wasn’t going to win._

_Except he did. Twice._

_Skywalker got under your skin in a way no enemy had ever done before, and that made you all the more determined to get rid of him._

_Except now it was getting harder to do that._


	2. Four Years Later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You are the Emperor’s daughter, Darth Nova, and you first met Luke Skywalker on a mission to kill him after the destruction of the first Death Star. Since then you have met and clashed on several occasions; yet after your father is finally killed and you find yourself captured by the Rebels, Luke convinces them to keep you alive?
> 
> Why? 
> 
> That’s kind of complicated.
> 
> Is it really possible to rewrite the stars in a world where your fates are already mapped out for you?

Four years, four irritating years of stupid Skywalker getting under your skin like some fiery deamon. Four years of sassy verbal battles, lightsaber duels and those moments where your breath hitched every time his piercing blue eyes met yours, or when you became entranced by the sun caught in his dark blonde hair.

 

You hate it. You hate the way he can attract you like a Jawa attracted to scrap metal in the desert. You hate how powerful he is, how he’s able to defend himself quite easily where others have fallen before. You hate the fact he’s finally a Jedi, and they are almost undefeatable, well, except if you happen to be another Jedi or a Sith. And you’re neither, you’re just the next best thing.

 

The last time the pair of you crossed lightsabers was on Tattooine. You’d suspected that Skywalker would try and save his friend Solo from Jabba the Hutt, and you had a feeling deep down that Vader had known that too, though it was more than likely he thought his son saving his friend from a mobster who wasn’t really affiliated with the Empire was a skirmish that was hardly worth bothering with when the building of the second Death Star needed to be overseen. You, on the other hand, you who felt a personal connection with the situation, given that your last meeting with Skywalker had been on Cloud City, and he had defeated you but allowed you to live (which in itself was rather humiliating, never mind that it had come from Farm Boy) were determined to get him that time and since your father had stopped caring whether you lived or died as long as you went some way towards carrying out his orders, you had set off after him.

 

Of course this time you’d been the one to knock him on his back, lightsaber at his throat but once again something stopped you from delivering the fatal blow. This time, however, it wasn’t any kind of feelings you had towards him that stopped you, it was your father.

 

_“No! Don’t kill him, stupid girl! We can turn him towards the Dark Side!”_

_“That’s not possible,” you argued in your head, “he’s too good!”_

_“He’s full of anger just like you! Let him come to me!”_

_“But-”_

_“Do as I say!”_

And you’d left Skywalker on the sand without another word and made your way back to your ship. Of course, Skywalker was bewildered that you hadn’t even made some smart remark before walking off, not knowing that deep down you were cut to the quick. You’d always known that the Emperor resented having a daughter, viewing all women as “weak” and that was why he had spent years beating and bruising you into shape until you became the deadly assassin you were now. But you’d always assumed that he’d be glad if you killed Skywalker for him. It wasn’t like he had never called you “stupid” before, in fact he had called you worse than that frequently, but the notion that nothing you ever seemed to do was good enough for him. It finally hit you then. You would never be good enough. You might be Darth Nova, but that was just a throwaway title. You might wield a lightsaber but in his eyes you had never been good enough to train as Jedi or a Sith. You might technically hold the title of Princess but the galaxy would never be yours.

 

But now your father was dead. So there was no one stopping you from finally killing Skywalker.

 

Except for the two X-Wings that were currently pursuing you along the grounds of Corellia.

 

You knew Skywalker wasn’t one of them, but how they had figured your ship was an enemy one, given its battered design, was anyone’s guess. You could only assume they had put two and two together after your battle with Skywalker on Orto Plutonia. At any rate, they’re swiftly gaining, but you knew a few manoeuvres to take them by surprise. You wait until the two of them draw level with you, before pulling up and swinging around, shooting in the opposite direction. As luck would have it, another ship is crossing at that point and you’re able to swiftly duck under it and speed out of range of the X-Wings. Unfortunately, you didn’t realise how close you were to the edge of a wall as you came out from under the ship and yours clips into it, seriously damaging something as smoke begins to billow into the cockpit.

 

Swearing to yourself, you unfasten your seatbelt in order to reach around and inspect the damage. That’s a mistake, because you hadn’t realised before how busy a planet Corellia is and when you next look up, there’s a transport barge coming right at you. You yelp and swerve but clip the opposite wall, this time so badly that your ship is knocked out of the air. It rolled once before skidding across the ground and crashing upside down into the side of a large abandoned building.

 

After a beat, you realise two things; one, you can hear the sound of your own blood drumming in your ears, and two, the glass of the cockpit has smashed to bits and there’s only a fraction of a space for you to crawl out. You wriggle but something’s stopping you from moving any further than halfway out. Cursing yourself, you struggle to concentrate in lifting your ship off you using the Force, but something is weighing down on one of your ankles with the force of a Rancor’s jaws and it’s difficult to relax and think about what you’re doing. Then you hear running footsteps approaching and you look up at the approaching figures before scowling, realising one of them is the last person you want to see right now.

“Hey, do you need help?” one of the others shouts. “Wait there, we’ll-”

 

“No, go away!” you snap, still struggling to lift the ship off you. “I don’t need your help!” Twisting away from them, you bite your lip and try and ignore the pain in your legs as you again try to lift the ship off your lower half, adding in a mutter “I’d rather die than accept your help.”

 

“Whatever the lady wants,” Skywalker shrugs. You look up and glare at him again before feeling the ship lift off you, and not by your own doing. “Chewie, quick,” Skywalker urges and the great big furry beast drags you out and throws you over one shoulder like a sack before retreating to his friend. It drops you on the ground and they both throw themselves down beside you as a few minutes later Skywalker runs up and drops to the ground and the ship behind you explodes into a thousand pieces. By some miracle, or else wondrous design, the building stays intact.

 

Annoyed, you push the Wookie’s arm off you and shoot Skywalker another death glare. “I said I didn’t need your help, Skywalker!”

 

“Well, you’re welcome,” he replies, drily. “Care to join us at last?”

 

You scoff. “A farm boy, a rebel and a Wookie? You guys are like the start of a bad joke.”

 

“And saving you makes you the punchline, Princess,” Skywalker counters, snidely.

 

You whip out your lightsaber and hold the blade to his throat. “Don’t call me Princess!”

 

“Alright, I won’t...” Skywalker whips out his own lightsaber to do the same to you. “Princess.”

 

“Alright, if you two kiss, I’m going to throw up,” his friend interrupts.

 

“What?” The pair of you recoil at once, putting away your weapons. “No...” “That...” “Never...”

 

Skywalker’s friend raises his eyebrows and the Wookie growls something to him. “Yeah, you said it, Chewie. I say let’s get out of here before anything else happens.”

 

The pair of them get to their feet and you attempt to follow but a searing pain down your calf all the way to your ankle has you almost falling back down again. Skywalker grabs you in time but you shoot him a glare.

 

“I’m fine, Farm Boy, I don’t need you helping me!”

 

“Fine, I’ll let you hurt yourself even more, then!” he retorts.

 

His friend, who you now recognise as Han Solo from your skirmish with Skywalker in Cloud City, raises an eyebrow. “Seriously, if you two are going to keep doing this, we’ll leave you alone together.”

 

Skywalker shoots him an annoyed look as the Wookie makes a noise that you can only describe as Wookie laughter. Before either of you can tick them off, however, several soldiers in Rebel uniforms come running up with their blasters trained at you. You groan as attempt to steady yourself without Skywalker’s aid but it isn’t possible.

 

“Do you surrender, Princess?” one of them asks.

 

You bristle and your lightsaber’s in your hand before they can utter another word.

 

“Don’t call her Princess,” Skywalker advises, and then glances at you. “You know, it’s best if you surrender. There’s no way you can fight your way out with a bad leg.”

 

You set your jaw and glare at the Rebels. “Catching me won’t change anything, gentlemen. The new Death Star has already been commissioned; in fact it’s being constructed even as we speak.”

 

“And we know that you’re carrying the plans for it, your Highness.” The soldiers step aside, making way for an older woman with short chestnut hair. “This is your chance to get out of this battle alive, provided you turn them over to us at once.”

 

“Go ahead, Chancellor Mothma,” you shrug, coolly. “Search the ruins of my ship for them. Oh, wait, there aren’t any. Bad luck.”

 

“You wouldn’t just leave them lying around in a ship,” Mon Mothma replies, firmly, fixing you with a hard stare. “Where are they?” You look away, refusing to meet her gaze. Skywalker can probably feel your slight tinge of worry rolling off you in waves. “Fine. We’ll do it your way. Commander Skywalker, take her weapons. General Solo, the binders.”

 

Skywalker hesitates. “She can’t walk, Chancellor, the ship crushed her leg.”

 

Mon Mothma sighs and pulls out her com-link. “Send me a transporter. We have a dangerous prisoner to get back to base.”

 

Skywalker keeps his grip on you as Solo comes to slap the stun binders on your wrists. You hate the way his hands feel around your waist, but you tell yourself he’s just stopping you from falling over, nothing more. Once you’re suitably subdued, Skywalker takes your lightsaber and blaster. You glance at him under your eyelashes. “This won’t stop the construction of the Death Star, you know.”

 

“Perhaps, but it’ll help us find its weakness,” Skywalker returns, coolly.

 

You laugh. “You don’t seriously think my father would make the same mistake twice, do you? This new one’s twenty times more powerful than the first, your little ships won’t stand a chance!”

 

“We might just surprise you,” Solo cuts in.

 

You shake your head as the transporter arrives, and with obvious reluctance you allow yourself to sink onto it. Skywalker’s fingers suddenly brush against your hair and you flinch, glaring at him. He sighs. “You have a cut on your forehead.”

 

Pulling out of his reach, you look away from him. In the last four years he’s only grown more handsome and once again something stirs in your nether regions against your will. Damn it, what was in his parents’ genes to make your body react this way on seeing him? He’s your enemy after all.

 

You tell yourself that the entire way back to their base. That’s all he is to you, the enemy, and that’s all you are to him too.

 

So why is he acting somewhat like he cares about you?

 

You push that thought to one side. It’s impossible. You’re fundamentally un-loveable, you’ve been told that all your life by your father. True, you’re a good punch bag and a good plaything for men who can never keep their hands to themselves, but you weren’t born to be loved. He had told you that, hammered it into you, and you believed him.

 

Why wouldn’t you? No one has ever shown you any kind of care in your entire life. Growing up, you were disciplined so strictly it was a wonder you’re sane today. Any slip-ups were met with strict punishment. If you got ill and couldn’t train, there was no sympathy or comfort, there were only sighs and demands that you get better soon, followed by the questioning of what he did to deserve a daughter like you. You had to teach yourself so many things because no one cared enough to help you with them. All the abuse and neglect, however, was nothing compared to the fact that he would actually bring men in to touch you, frequently, calling it “further training.” It was meant to make you repulsed towards the touch of others, and it worked to an extent. Yet deep down inside your body craved a gentle touch just once...not from the likes of Skywalker, however. By the time you were eighteen, fully grown and ready to bear the mantle of ruler of the galaxy, should the opportunity ever arise, you had become hardened to any sympathy or compassion the galaxy had to offer, because no one had ever shown you any before.

 

The transporter stops abruptly and you looked up at the vast building they’ve chosen as their temporary base. You scowl up at the bright stone, pale and clean, so different to anything you’re used to before gingerly edging yourself off the transporter and stumbling for the second time that day. Quick as a flash, Skywalker pulls you up and then, to your shock, picks you up in his arms. You gasp in indignation. “Put me down at once!”

 

“You can’t walk all that way by yourself!” Skywalker argues.

 

You glare at him again but give in, allowing him to carry you inside.

 

Seriously,” Solo mutters to the Wookie, “should we start planning the wedding _now_ or..?”

 

Skywalker carries you in silence to a room that’s as far away from the front door as it can get inside that building. You’re expecting him to throw you onto the bed and walk away but instead he lays you down as carefully as possible before sitting beside you. “Let me have a look at that leg.”

 

“I’m fine!” You jerk out of his reach, although you can’t hide your wince as your leg twinges again.

 

Skywalker sighs. “Why do you have to be so stubborn?”

 

“Why do _you_ have to be a thorn in my side?” you shoot back.

 

“We’re still doing this? _(Y/N),_ give it up already! It’s over, you failed!”

 

You slap him, the sound reverberating off the walls. To say he looks stunned is to say the least as he blinks at you, his expression a mixture of offended and confused.

 

“That was a warning!” you hiss. “Next time you call me a failure, I’ll blast you!”

 

“With what?” Skywalker retorts. “I took your weapons, remember?” You use the Force to snatch up his blaster and aim it at his head. Skywalker sighs. “Really? We’re here again? How many times do I have to convince you there’s Light in you before you believe me?”

 

“How many times do I have to tell you you’re wrong before you accept it?” you snap back.

 

His eyes meet yours, as blue and piercing as ever. Something about looking into them relaxes you, like watching a waterfall on a calm day, and as he raises his hand to lower the blaster in yours, you let him for some reason. Skywalker moves his hand down to your leg and you twitch again. _“(Y/N),_ I’m not going to hurt you.” You tense but don’t object as he gently eases your boot off before pushing back the bottom of your trouser leg, rolling it up so he can see your ankle. He winces. “Ouch, that looks painful. You’ve got a lot of bruising there.” You try and lean forwards but you can’t see from that angle. Skywalker feels your leg and you gasp in pain. “Sorry. I think your ankle’s broken.” He meets your gaze. “You’re not going to be going back to your Death Star for a while.”

 

You look away from him. “You mean I’m stuck here with _you,_ then? Great!”

 

Skywalker chuckles. “You know, there are worse people you could be stuck with.”

 

“Impossible.”

 

“You mean you seriously can’t think of any?”

 

“What are you doing?” You turn sharply back to him. “Why are you acting as though we’re friends or something?”

 

Is it your imagination or does he look slightly hurt when you say that? At any rate, his tone is steady when he says _“(Y/N),_ I’ve known you for four years. I know there’s some good in you. You couldn’t kill me any of the other times we met and you couldn’t kill me earlier, what does that say to you?”

 

You scowl at him. “You know nothing about me, Skywalker, so don’t call me _(Y/N).”_

 

“Alright, but you hate it when I call you Princess.”

 

You flinch. “It’s Nova. That is if you have to call me anything at all.”

 

Skywalker looks up as the door opens and a rather timid-looking man in a medical uniform enters with a box of equipment. “Oh, Commander Skywalker, I didn’t know you were still in here. I’ve been sent to...” His voice drifts as he nods towards you. You smirk because he’s clearly intimidated by your presence. Skywalker on the other hand remains calm as he gets up and takes the box from the man.

 

“Thanks, I’ll take it from here.”

 

“But Commander, you’re not qualified for-”

 

“I’ve patched up far worse than a broken leg before now,” Skywalker cuts in, gently. “But if you want to send a medical droid in to help, I think they’d be more welcome than a doctor right now.”

 

The man nods, twitches his glasses nervously and leaves the room. Skywalker sits back down and pulls out everything he needs to reset your leg. “You know, you’re a pretty good pilot,” he comments, abruptly.

 

“Well, I wish I could say the same about you,” you snipe back. Skywalker chuckles and in spite of yourself you smile, although you hide it as you duck your head. His laugh is contagious. This time when he touches your leg, you don’t even flinch, you just let him fix you up, aided by the medical droid that comes by a few minutes later to oversee matters. You flinch a bit when he touches your hair again but his fingers are gentle as he keeps your hair sticking to the cut as the droid tends to it.

 

“You will be required to stay off that ankle for six weeks, Miss,” it informs you once you’re all bandaged up. “Will you be requiring a crutch?” Taking a glance at the only other door in the room, which presumably leads to a bathroom, you nod since it is quite a way away. The droid nods and leaves, returning a few moments later with a battered but still fully functional crutch, which it props against the bed before offering you a box of medication. “You will also be required to take pain relief until you are healed, Miss. I recommend you begin now.”

 

Obediently, just for the sake of being able to move your leg without it twinging in pain again, you obey. The droid leaves but for some reason Skywalker stays. You frown at him. “I’m not about to try and make a run for it, Farm Boy, you don’t need to keep an eye on me twenty four seven.”

 

Skywalker shrugs and gets to his feet, although he still remains looking down at you. “Listen...Nova, if you have those plans you’d be better to give them up now. Otherwise they’ll find some way to force you. They might even kill you.”

 

“I’d like to see them try,” you respond, scowling at him.

 

He sighs and shakes his head before moving towards the door. “Goodnight, Princess.”

 

You look for something to throw but by the time you’ve decided the medicine bottle would make a very good projectile, he’s already left and locked the door behind him. Resigned, you settle back against the pillow, figuring that they won’t attempt to get anything out of you until your leg’s fully healed, so you might as well get some sleep and pretend to cooperate, for now at any rate. The medicine’s making you very tired, and for some inexplicable reason the last image burned into your mind as you finally drift off is of Skywalker stroking your hair out of your eyes as he tends to your head wound.


	3. Searching and Exploring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You are the Emperor’s daughter, Darth Nova, and you first met Luke Skywalker on a mission to kill him after the destruction of the first Death Star. Since then you have met and clashed on several occasions; yet after your father is finally killed and you find yourself captured by the Rebels, Luke convinces them to keep you alive?
> 
> Why? 
> 
> That’s kind of complicated.
> 
> Is it really possible to rewrite the stars in a world where your fates are already mapped out for you?

As predicted, you aren’t prodded for the whereabouts of the Death Star plans right away. You suspect Skywalker had something to do with that, although you don’t really understand why. You made up your mind right from the beginning that you didn’t want to have anything to do with him, and yet Skywalker seemed to have got it into his head to spend as much time as possible with you, although you suspect this is just in order to irritate you as much as possible.

 

For a start, he’s the one who brings you your meals; although his excuse for this is that he’s the only member of the Alliance who isn’t terrified of you. Being a Jedi, you supposed since fear isn’t in his repertoire, this is somewhat true, although you can’t imagine Solo or his Wookie pet being afraid of you at all, they seem far too cocky for that.

 

You glance at the meal you’ve been given, which consists of gelatinous cubes in varying colours and flavours, obviously processed for long journeys in deep space, and some slices of what looked like meiloorun fruit, along with a pitcher of milk. Automatically, your stomach rumbles and you scowl at it before glancing up to see Skywalker attempting to suppress a laugh. Ignoring him, you take the plate and poke at one of the cubes, attempting to get it onto your fork. “I suppose you’ve already eaten, have you?”

 

You didn’t know why you asked that, you just felt the need to say something.

 

“I have,” Skywalker shrugs, settling himself at the end of your bed without invitation. “Did you sleep well?”

 

You glance at him, suspiciously. “Well enough, to say I’m in enemy territory.”

 

Skywalker looks away. “You don’t have to be. You could join us.”

 

“I’d rather die.”

 

“You nearly _did_ yesterday.”

 

“Well, why do _you_ care?” You shoot at him, fed up of the way he’s always somehow one step ahead of you, verbally at any rate. “It’s not like anyone would miss me!”

 

Skywalker frowns. “Wouldn’t the rest of your family-?”

 

“My mother died when I was a child.” You look away from him. “I don’t want to talk about it. It’s not like my father ever loved her anyway. Or me. We were just tools to him.”

 

“Oh.” The pair of you fall silent and then Skywalker ventured “Sorry. I mean, I sort of know what that’s like. I never knew my mother either.” You swivel your eyes back to his again. “I don’t even know who she was.”

 

You exhale, keeping your eyes on the wall as you reel off bluntly “Her name was Padme, she was a former Queen of Naboo before she became a Senator and married your father. They had to keep it secret because back then it was against the Jedi code for them to marry or even have long-term relationships. The Jedi believed it caused distractions to get too attached to someone. They were married for three years before she died after giving birth and your father fell to the Dark Side. He blamed himself for causing her death.”

 

Skywalker blinks. “How do you know all that?”

 

“Your father told me.” You glance back at him. “He always treated me more cordially than anyone else. I suppose you could say we were friends, sort of.” Skywalker studies you, carefully. You scowl. “What?”

 

“So everyone hurt you,” Skywalker murmurs. “No one was ever kind to you. That’s why you’re the way you are.”

 

You sit up a little straighter. “Don’t pretend you know anything about me, Farm Boy! You’re not even a proper Jedi, you were never trained!”

 

Skywalker bristles. “Actually, I was trained by Master Yoda, I’ll have you know!”

 

“Oh, what, for three days? Or less?” You snap. “I’ve been trained to fight like a Jedi my entire life! Don’t expect me to just bow to the will of the boy who destroyed the first Death Star just because he’s Darth Vader’s son!”

 

“Stop!” Skywalker jumps to his feet, one hand out like he’s trying to stop you from jumping off the bed, not that you could with your injury. He takes a deep breath and sighs, calming himself down. “This isn’t getting us anywhere.”

 

You look down at your plate. “Tell the Chancellor thank you for the food, Skywalker, that’s all she’s getting out of me today.”

 

Skywalker drops his hand. You don’t look at him. “I’ll see you later,” he mumbles before leaving. You look up in time to see him closing the door behind him and after hearing it lock, you sigh and glance down at your meal. You don’t know what’s happening to you. One half of you wants to tear him to pieces, literally and verbally, whilst the other half wants to spill your entire life story to him. You shake your head. Six weeks. If you can just survive these six weeks, you can escape and get away from him then.

 

But of course, Skywalker has to make it difficult for you.

 

He comes in at every spare opportunity, even when he doesn’t have food for you, and chooses to just sit on the edge of your bed and annoy the hell out of you. It starts off the same, he tries to convince you hand over the plans or else that there’s good in you, and you return by threatening to hurt him if he doesn’t shut up or else convince him that he’s wrong. Soon, however, it turns into something else; sniping turns into teasing and as you noted before, Skywalker’s laugh is contagious.

 

“Stop it!” you exclaim after he teases you about your crash, although you’re more annoyed than angry. You shake your head. “You’re so annoying, Skywalker!”

 

“Am I?” Skywalker grins back, lazily.

 

You scowl at him, although somehow it lacks the same hatred it once did. “You know you are. No wonder my father wanted to kill you.”

 

“Like father, like daughter,” Skywalker quips.

 

Before you can hit him for his cheek, the door slides open and the medical droid wheels in. You sigh but allow it to check your leg, as it has been doing a lot lately, and thankfully the pain has been easing off these last few weeks, although you’re not quite at the standing without a crutch stage just yet. The droid advises it’s time to start walking about a bit more in order to get used to the feeling of walking, otherwise you might keep falling over when your leg’s fully healed before it takes its leave. You reach for your crutch and Skywalker gets to his feet. You flinch away from his touch, however. “No!” Then you look away. “I need to do this myself.” You call your crutch over with the Force and stand rather clumsily, almost falling over twice. Thankfully, Skywalker doesn’t laugh, he just watches, probably thinking that you might ask for help in a minute and he’ll be there to give it. Well, there’s no chance of that, you decide. “Don’t you have somewhere to be now, Farm Boy?” you snap, annoyed.

 

He shrugs and makes his way to the door, although he hesitates on the way out. “Don’t be afraid to call for me if you need anything.”

 

“I’m not afraid of anyone,” you snipe, with a glare. “Or anything.”

 

You both know you’re lying, but Skywalker leaves without pressing the matter. After that day, you attempt to revert back to being sharp with him again, but it’s difficult. Something’s changed now, although you don’t know what.

 

Things really come to a head a few weeks later, when you’re able to freely limp about unaided, although you know you have to wait until you’re fully healed before trying to make your escape. It appears Mon Mothma’s had enough of waiting, even though Skywalker’s tried to convince her over and over that he can get the plans off you, and she decides that you must undergo a full body search in order to retrieve them.

 

Easier said than done.

 

The two men she assigns to do it are part of Admiral Ackbar’s fleet, built like trees and tougher than the toughest Wookie; and yet after five seconds with you, they still come fleeing out of your room completely terrified. Skywalker and his friends happen to be walking past with Mon Mothma at the time and they all stare in shock as the two tear from the room as though they’re on fire, and a second later you appear in the doorway. Before anyone else can even move, you summon your lightsaber from wherever Skywalker hid it and ignite it, glaring at everyone. One of the men, clutching his broken arm, has a large bruise on the side of his face where you threw him against the wall with the Force, and the other is bleeding in several places from you catching him with your nails as you hit him, the collar of his uniform ripped right down to the shoulder.

 

“The next person who tries to touch me loses their hands!” you exclaim.

 

For a minute, it’s a standoff, everyone else staring at you as you glare them down, none of them even daring to breathe too loudly in case it sets you off again. Then, bravely, Skywalker steps cautiously towards you, ignoring the Princess’s whisper of “Luke, no..!” and the way Solo and Calrissian twitch their fingers to their blasters behind him. You watch as he draws level with you, ready to strike him down if he tries anything. _“(Y/N),_ it’s alright...” His tone is soft, irritatingly so. You take a step backwards. “It’s alright...”

 

“You don’t need to talk to me like that, Farm Boy, I’m not an Ewok!” you snap, taking another step back into your room. He continues to stare you out, however, and, slowly, you begin to lower your lightsaber.

 

“Have her sedated,” Mon Mothma commands to a passing medical droid as Han and Calrissian dare venture forwards to aid the two men you attacked.

 

Your eyes widen in terror.

 

“No!” Skywalker argues. Your grip tightens on your lightsaber again, and then suddenly you feel his thoughts flood into your brain. _“(Y/N), it’s alright, I won’t let them.”_

 

 _“This has nothing to do with you, Farm Boy!”_ you shoot back, your hands trembling on the handle of your weapon. _“And stop calling me by my name!”_

_“Please just put your lightsaber away, they think you’re going to hurt them.”_ You hesitate. _“Nova, please.”_

 

Reluctantly, you switch off your lightsaber and pocket it before backing completely into the room. Skywalker takes the opportunity to lock you in again before anyone else can try to get at you. Mon Mothma, however, has completely disregarded his argument as she is now discussing tranquilisers with the medical droid, who is currently attending the two wounded men.

 

“No one will be able to get near her now she has a weapon,” one of them reports. “And even without one, she’s strong.”

 

Solo glances at his friend. “They’re right. Perhaps sedation is the best idea for all of us.”

 

“No,” Skywalker argues.

 

“Luke,” the Princess begins.

 

“Please, Chancellor, she’s just scared,” Skywalker insists.

 

“Scared?” Calrissian repeats as the Wookie growls softly. “What does a woman powerful enough to reduce two grown men to terrified boys have to be scared of?” He gestures to the two men, one of whom is shivering uncontrollably with shock.

 

“Being hurt again,” Skywalker replies, fixing Mon Mothma with a look. “She needs to know she can trust us.”

 

“Commander, she is the enemy,” Mon Mothma begins.

 

“But there’s good in her, I can feel it,” Skywalker insists. “Perhaps if you allow me to try, she’ll let me examine her.”

 

Mon Mothma sighs, hands behind her back. “You’re a good commander, Skywalker, I’d hate to lose you.”

 

“You won’t,” Skywalker insists. “Just give me a few minutes with her, and if she’s hiding the plans on her I’ll get them.”

 

The Princess shakes her head. “Luke, she has her lightsaber now, she’ll kill you.”

 

“No, she won’t, Leia.” Skywalker looks at her. “All the other times we’ve fought, she’s never been able to. I’ll be fine.”

 

“Good luck, kid,” Solo murmurs. “Rather you than me.”

 

Mon Mothma sighs again. “It’s unorthodox, but I’ll give you ten minutes. If you can search her without being killed, then wonderful, plans or no plans.”

 

Skywalker taps his own lightsaber. “Relax, Chancellor. I can handle her.”

 

You look up from your spot on the bed as the door opens again, hand on your lightsaber, but it’s only Skywalker. He closes the door behind him before walking up to you. “Will you let _me_ examine you? Otherwise they’re going to sedate you, and I know you don’t want that.”

 

You bite your lip, considering your options before nodding. “Fine. But you’d better not try anything.”

 

“I promise.” Skywalker removes his belt, which holds his lightsaber, and lays it on the cabinet beside your bed. As you begin to remove your boots, you look up to see him doing the same. You stop your actions and stare as he continues to undress, heat rushing to your cheeks as he removes his shirt and then his trousers.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

Skywalker tosses his clothes to one side. “Now I’m as vulnerable as you.”

 

Bewildered, you get to your feet and undress down to your underwear. You can feel his gaze on you, a gaze you’ve felt many times before, full of lust and longing, but what you don’t feel is his shock as you stand with your back to him and he’s met with the sight of what looks like a thousand scars littering your skin. Before he can stop himself, his hand has come up to touch your back. You jump but then feel his fingers move beneath the fastenings of your bra. “It’s alright,” he murmurs, pretending to search for the plans, all the while trying to hide his disbelief that anyone could do this to you. As ever, his fingers are so soft on your back, the softest touch your skin has ever felt from anyone and it takes all your self control not to melt into a puddle as his hands move beneath your straps, before lifting your hair and tracing the back of your neck gently. You’re startled. You’ve been touched by men before, but not like this. If you were anyone else, this could be considered almost romantic.

 

Brushing that thought aside, you turn to face him and lift up the front of your bra.

 

“Anything there, Commander?” you ask, drily.

 

His eyes widen but he manages to shake his head. “No, there’s clearly no way you could hide anything there.”

 

You rearrange your bra and then step your legs apart, turning your head to one side. “Go on, then, get on with it.”

 

Skywalker gets to his knees and runs his hands between your thighs, deftly, trying his best not to make you uncomfortable. “Nova, I’m going to have to-”

 

“Do it,” you cut in, bitterly.

 

His touch is quick and light, the briefest of cupping before he gets to his feet again. You turn your head as he moves to the bed, retrieves a blanket and drapes it over your shoulders. You clutch it around you, blinking up at him. Damn those blue eyes, you could get lost in them forever. You swallow. “Thank you for keeping your hands to yourself.”

 

“I wasn’t expecting anything from you,” Skywalker murmurs.

 

You glance down and sigh, moving away from him. “That tent in your boxers would say otherwise.”

 

Skywalker follows your gaze and sighs, muttering to himself something that sounds suspiciously like “Dammit” before retrieving his trousers. “I wasn’t trying to make you uncomfortable, it’s just I’ve never had a beautiful girl show me her breasts before.”

 

You shudder. “Don’t call me that. Everyone always says that right before...” You can’t finish, so you just shudder again.

 

Skywalker looks up halfway through dressing again. “You should know by now I’m not like that.”

 

You turn in time to see him pulling his shirt back on. Perhaps he’d trained with Master Yoda longer than just a few days, by the look of those toned arms and rippling abs, or perhaps farmers just do far more heavy lifting than you give them credit for. At any rate, your mind starts to move a different way and for reasons you can’t quite describe, you pick up your lightsaber. Skywalker looks up as you come towards him, and you feel him stiffen, wondering whether he ought to grab his own weapon. But instead of igniting it, you slip something small and black out from a small slot above the handle and hold it out to him.

 

“Take them. There’s probably no point me hanging onto them anyway; if you destroy this one they won’t need these plans anymore,” you say, dully.

 

Skywalker blinks. “You had it hidden on your lightsaber handle all along?”

 

“The best place to hide something is in plain sight.” You drop the plans into his hand and turn back to the bed. “Now if you’ll excuse me, Skywalker, I’m exhausted.”

 

“Skywalker?” You gasp as he quickly picks you up and places you gently on the bed, like before. “What happened to Farm Boy?”

 

“I just told you, I’m tired.”

 

He smiles, picking up his belt and lightsaber before nodding at you. “Thank you, _(Y/N).”_

 

“Nova,” you insist.

 

Skywalker shakes his head. “It doesn’t suit you.”

 

He leaves the room, and you frown, wondering why he didn’t question whether what you’d given him were the Death Star plans or not. They were, of course, but why does he seem to trust you so much?

 

Perhaps for the same reason, whatever that is, that you let him touch you so intimately just now.


	4. One Step Closer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You are the Emperor’s daughter, Darth Nova, and you first met Luke Skywalker on a mission to kill him after the destruction of the first Death Star. Since then you have met and clashed on several occasions; yet after your father is finally killed and you find yourself captured by the Rebels, Luke convinces them to keep you alive?
> 
> Why? 
> 
> That’s kind of complicated.
> 
> Is it really possible to rewrite the stars in a world where your fates are already mapped out for you?

_Black._

_Red._

_Those are the two colours you see right now. Your tormentors are in darkness, wielding red lightsabers, their faces blanked out as though someone is shining red light behind their heads so all you can see are smudges where their faces ought to be and red halos around them, like auras. Except these are no angels, they’re not here to help you, they’re here to hurt you._

_You don’t know why, but you can’t seem to move, it’s like one of them has you pinned in place using the Force although all of them have yet to move. They stand still as feel your breathing speed up, your heart rate accelerating by the second. Little by little, the six of them, there’s six, turn their heads as one to look at each other, as if silently conferring about something. You attempt to talk but your voice is stuck in your throat and eventually all that comes out is a pathetic little mewling whimper._

_The lightsabers come up._

_They fall, slowly. You can feel the heat from each one brush your skin, burning tantalisingly. Memories flood your mind; your father’s twisted, cruel face as he laughed mercilessly, watching your tormentor use you as practise for his true enemies, your tormentor’s harsh hands as they twisted your arms and broke your bones, the longing for death to come and the moment when you learned that this was all you were worth, nothing else. You would never be anything more than what you were in their eyes, nothing._

_You hear their voices echoed in your mind._

_“This will teach you not to be so weak!”_

_“Don’t you dare cry! Only losers cry!”_

_“If you’re going to act so pathetic, like a Rebel, then we’ll treat you like one!”_

_“That didn’t hurt you, stop whimpering!”_

_“One day, you’ll learn to appreciate all this!”_

_Your wounds open up and bleed fresh as you tremble before them, violently._

_“I’m sorry I failed you.”_

_Only two of them represent those who hurt you most, the others are those who used to touch you in that awful way. You remember thinking that nothing could ever hurt as badly as that until you looked down and saw the blood on their fingers, and the lust in their eyes._

_“I don’t know why I gave it to him. I don’t. It was like something made me.”_

_Burning and then the memory of pain...and then light._

_You blink._

_In the darkness behind the figures before you, there’s a glow of light. As if scorched by its touch, those around you melt away, falling to the floor in a collection of black cloaks, no red lights to be found anywhere now. You look up as the light moves to you, a figure bathed in it, glowing brighter than a Vulptex in a cave. Its hands cradle your face in the gentlest way possible and you feel your wounds healing, the shell of your hard demeanour softening._

_“Help me,” you whisper._

_And Skywalker kisses you._

You fly up out of bed as though you’ve just had an electric shock. Breathing hard, you rub your forehead, trying to shake the dream away.

 

It’s three weeks since you gave up the Death Star plans and your leg is almost fully healed. Living in this cell has become the norm for you now; you wake, eat, practise walking. Skywalker comes in every day, although you don’t know why, his lot have the plans and have probably already destroyed them, so you can’t see what reason he has to keep visiting you. Well, actually, that’s not quite true, you can sense his reason.

 

To make you turn to the Light.

 

You sigh and curl up, trying not to think about the dream but it’s hard. All your dreams now seem to contain Skywalker in some way, shape or form. You can’t seem to stop thinking about that day when he touched you, how his hands weren’t violent and grasping but gentle and soft and his touch was delicate, as though he was afraid you’d break if he prodded you too hard. You can’t help wondering what it would be like to sleep with him. You’re not a virgin, by any means, but you imagine that with Luke Skywalker, it would feel like the first time all over again, only better.

 

Pushing that thought away, you shake your head. No, this can’t happen. You can’t seriously be thinking about this about Skywalker, for crying out loud! Alright, you’re attracted to him, who wouldn’t be? With his dark blond hair and blue eyes that always stare into your soul and those muscles hidden beneath his Jedi robes...the way his hands traced softly across your scars...

 

The memory of it burns like fire.

 

You roll over, wondering what your father would have made of this when he was still alive. He’d have called you weak, played on the war in your heart, one half of you wanting to pull Skywalker into bed with you whilst the other wants to slice him in half with your lightsaber. You can hear him scolding you in your mind, calling you “foolish girl,” taunting you for feeling something for the man you’d made up your mind a long time ago to kill.

 

It was because he had been good to you, you suppose. He didn’t have to rescue you from your crashed ship, or sort your injured leg or even stop the others from sedating and then doing goodness knows what to you. But he had done. And he’s nice to you even when you push him away.

 

“It can’t happen,” you mumble into your pillow. “Doesn’t he get that? It can’t happen.” The door slides open, suddenly, and you jump, lightsaber quickly flying into your hand. But it’s only Skywalker and you relax before feeling a twinge of annoyance. He’s dressed for bed, in looser clothing that you’re used to seeing him in and his hair’s rather mussed, like he’s been tossing and turning half the night. You blink at him. “It’s alright, Skywalker, I haven’t escaped in the night or anything.”

 

Skywalker smiles, tiredly. “Mind if I sit?” You shrug and, to your surprise, he sits down next to you rather than on the end of your bed as he usually does. “I guess you can’t sleep either?”

 

You scowl at him. “Had an unpleasant dream, if you must know.”

 

“How unpleasant?”

 

“You were in it.”

 

Skywalker chuckles and you can’t stop yourself from smiling. “Right, that’s pretty bad, I guess.” An awkward silence drifts between you and you’re seriously beginning to consider kicking him off the bed for want of some noise when he says “Why are you still here?”

 

You blink at him, again. “Kind of your prisoner, in case you’d forgotten.”

 

“Yeah, but I’m surprised you didn’t put up more of a fight.” Skywalker raises an eyebrow at you. “I would have thought you’d have broken your way out of here and killed half the Rebellion weeks ago.”

 

“Well, it’s rather hard to do _anything_ with a bad leg,” you sigh, thinking he’s very stupid for not thinking of that, “but the second I’m better, I’m out of here. You won’t see me again ever, Farm Boy.”

 

“Come on.” Skywalker leans down so he’s lying opposite you, one arm propping his head up as he watches you. “The _(Y/N)_ I remember trying to kill me four years ago wouldn’t have let anything stand in her way of breaking out, even a bad leg.”

 

“The _(Y/N)_ you remember’s changed.” The second you say it, you regret it because he smiles, as if that’s exactly what he’s been waiting to hear you say. “I mean, shut up, Farm Boy, how I execute my plans is none of your business!”

 

“What are you actually fighting for, though?” Skywalker persists. “Your Father’s dead, the Empire’s finished. You’re trying to hold up a losing battle.”

 

You shake your head. “You’re wrong.” His gaze becomes too intense for you to outstare any longer and you look down. “Besides, I...I don’t want to go back to it all just yet.”

 

“Why?” Skywalker asks, gently.

 

You roll quickly away from him. “It doesn’t matter why.”

 

 _“(Y/N)..._ ” You feel him shift a little closer to you and then his hand is pressed gently against your shoulder. “You can tell me. I’m not going to judge.”

 

You hesitate, not sure whether you want to throw his hand off or not. Instinct tells you to but because he’s not actually hurting you, your body starts crying for you to leave it there. “Let’s just say I’m not the one in charge of all operations now the Emperor’s gone. I’m not his heir. I’m not ruler of the galaxy. I’m just...I’m just the guard Rancor, that’s all.” You blink, realising you’re crying. Annoyed, you hug your pillow tighter and sigh. “And I’m not looking forward to eventually going back and showing them that my father was right all along, I’m a complete failure!”

 

“Then don’t go back.”

 

You finally shrug him off. “Don’t be thick, Farm Boy.”

 

“You clearly don’t want to.” Behind you, Skywalker sits up, slightly. “So, what’s stopping you from staying here?”

 

You roll onto your back and then wish you hadn’t because now he’s hovering over you and the closeness is unnerving. “Maybe I don’t want to be stuck with _you_ all the time.” It’s a feeble excuse but it’s the best you can come up with.

 

“Okay...” Skywalker smiles again. “But you could just leave and go...anywhere.”

 

You scowl. “I’d be hunted down and killed in seconds.” You look away from him. “I’ve got no choice. I have to go back.” Thankfully, Skywalker seems to accept this as the end of that conversation because he lies down again without arguing. You glance over at him. “Why are you so determined to prove that there’s good in me?”

 

Skywalker sighs. “Because there _is._ I wish you’d stop being so stubborn.”

 

“And what do you think’ll happen if there is, Skywalker?” you challenge. “You think we’ll just become friends and start recreating the Jedi Order from all the Force Sensitives we can find?”

 

“Something like that.”

 

“You’re living in a dream world, Farm Boy.”

 

“That’s _your_ opinion.”

 

 _“Now_ who’s being stubborn?” you quip.

 

Skywalker turns on his side again to look down at you. “You know, I was a lot like you once. Master Yoda once said “Always with you, it can’t be done.” But he proved me wrong.” You’re only half-listening, wondering what it would feel like if he suddenly leaned in and kissed you. “I know you’ve been beaten into not believing all that...”

 

“You don’t know anything about me, Skywalker,” you cut in, annoyed.

 

“Then let me.” You frown, startled at that. _“(Y/N),_ I’ve seen the cuts on your back. I know you must have been through a lot. Sometimes it helps when you have someone to tell it to.”

 

You look down again. “I...I don’t know how to react when someone’s nice to me...because no one ever was when I was younger. Well, except my mother, but all I really remember about her was that she used to stroke my hair at night when I couldn’t sleep and it put me right out.”

 

“You’re lucky,” Skywalker murmurs. “I don’t remember anything about my mother. Leia does, though.”

 

You nod. “I think mine wasn’t very strong after she had me. I can remember my father telling people it was sickness that took her in the end. Sometimes I wonder if...if I’m the reason she died.”

 

“No, _(Y/N),_ I’m sure you can’t have been,” Skywalker insists, his hand coming to your shoulder again. “Perhaps she was already sick when she had you.”

 

You shake your head. “I don’t know. And I’ll probably never know. But...I wish she hadn’t died, because maybe then...maybe none of this would have happened. She might have been able to protect me when I couldn’t protect myself.” You start crying again without meaning to. “Because I was never strong enough, no matter how much he hurt me, and got other people to have their way with me, to make me turn against the galaxy and just hate humanity so much...it was never enough for him. No matter how many people I killed or space stations I destroyed...it was never enough.” You shake your head. “It’s ironic, but the one person who ever showed me anything that could be considered kind was Vader. I mean, he respected me enough to just talk to me without losing his temper. Everyone else...I was just their plaything.”

 

Skywalker frowns, his hand coming up to brush away your tears. “Your father, what, brought men in to...abuse you?”

 

You nod. “And they didn’t do it because he was the Emperor and they didn’t dare defy him. Everyone one of them wanted to have their turn with the _Princess.”_ The last word comes out bitter and you rub your eyes, trying to stop yourself crying. “Because it made them feel important.” You take a deep breath, trying to recover. “I thought that perhaps if I killed you, because you’d destroyed the First Death Star, it might finally stop, he might finally accept me as I was and all the abuse would be over. But when I found out he wanted to try and make you turn to the Dark Side, I just knew then...it was never going to stop. I was always going to be his failure.”

 

“I had no idea,” Skywalker murmurs. “All that time I was fighting the Empire, no one knew.” He glances away from you. “I saved Leia from the Death Star but I should have been saving you too.” You look at him, confused, as his hand comes up again but this time he strokes your hair back from your face. Automatically, your eyes drift shut and when you don’t threaten to hurt him for his actions, he repeats them, his touch once again soft and gentle. It reminds you of your mother.

 

Within seconds, you’re asleep.


	5. A Second Enemy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You are the Emperor’s daughter, Darth Nova, and you first met Luke Skywalker on a mission to kill him after the destruction of the first Death Star. Since then you have met and clashed on several occasions; yet after your father is finally killed and you find yourself captured by the Rebels, Luke convinces them to keep you alive?
> 
> Why? 
> 
> That’s kind of complicated.
> 
> Is it really possible to rewrite the stars in a world where your fates are already mapped out for you?

“Luke, no offence.” Solo glances sideways at his friend, he and Chewbacca in the middle of repairs on the Millennium Falcon. “I know you like her, but I think you’re wrong about this.”

 

The Wookie roars in agreement, nodding.

 

Skywalker shakes his head. “You don’t know her like I do, Han. She’s been mistreated her whole life. But any of the times we’ve fought, she couldn’t kill me.”

 

“Well, forgive me if I’m biased, but I don’t see how any child of the Emperor could possibly have any good in them,” Solo states, with an eye-roll. He then adds with a playful grin “Are you sure your senses are working right?”

 

In spite of himself, Skywalker manages a smile. “My senses are fine, Han.”

 

The Princess comes up, followed by Calrissian, who huffs. “I don’t know, the remaining Empire followers sure did a better job on this Death Star than on the last one. We can’t find any weaknesses anywhere.”

 

“Or any way of destroying it,” the Princess adds.

 

Solo raises his eyebrows. “Maybe Luke should just ask the young Empress in there.” He jerks his head in the direction of your room. “They seem to be getting along better now.”

 

Skywalker flushes but doesn’t deny it. It does feel now like you’re starting to become friends, once you’d finally realised that he wasn’t going to use anything you said the night before against you in any way, you’d started to trust him.

 

_“Can you feel I’m lying?” he simply asked._

_You frowned, reaching out with the Force and then shook your head. “You’re not lying.”_

And now, Skywalker has to admit that there may have been some truth in his friend’s earlier teasing. In spite of you having tried to kill him several times in the past, he’s always been attracted to you. There’s no denying you’re very beautiful, and even if you weren’t your fiery spirit would be enough to attract any man, Jedi or otherwise.

 

The Princess shakes her head. “You seriously think she’d tell us the truth? For all we know, these plans we’ve got could be decoys she gave you just to stop us from searching for them.”

 

“I didn’t find any other plans on her,” Skywalker replies.

 

“Luke, you’re letting your feelings for her get in the way-”

 

“Whatever the case,” Calrissian cuts in quickly, hoping to defuse the tension in the room, “getting hold of the plans hasn’t worked in helping us shut down that thing. Where do we go from here?”

 

“What does the Chancellor say?” Solo asks.

 

“Er...” Calrissian glances to one side. “Well, unless they find a hidden weakness soon-”

 

“Or unless the Empress starts being a bit more helpful,” the Princess adds, tersely. Skywalker shoots her a look.

 

“She’s saying we send a small party to infiltrate the station and report back to us here on base,” Calrissian finishes, before shooting Skywalker an apologetic look. “And she’s talking about having the Empress...terminated.”

 

“What?” Skywalker exclaims.

 

“That’s a bit harsh, isn’t it?” Solo asks, frowning.

 

“Having her here could be dangerous,” the Princess argues. “If her Imperial troops find out we have her here, they could come down on us like-!”

 

“They won’t.” Skywalker cuts in. “She’s not the one in charge of them, she told me.”

 

“Luke-”

 

“No, listen to me, Leia. No one’s going to come looking for her because she’s expendable as far as she’s concerned. And if you’d use your insight more, you’d know that.”

 

Skywalker walks away from the group, intent on finding the Chancellor.

 

“You know, I think he’s right,” Solo murmurs. “They’d have come for her by now, surely?”

 

“Maybe,” Calrissian agrees, thoughtfully. “But it’s always best to be safe, right?”

 

*

You limp about your room, just about able to walk unaided, probably even fight without anyone’s help now. Still, you’re uncertain that now is the time to make good your escape. You’d need to be able to get away quickly, steal one of their ships, hopefully one of the smaller ones and you’re not sure you can run that fast even now. Still, you wince through the pain as you reach the door, turn and rush back to your bed, timing yourself. You shake your head. No, no good. You’ll have to wait it out a few more days.

 

“Dammit!”

 

The door slides open but you don’t bother to look up, you know it’s Skywalker by now. Instead you sink onto the bed and wait as he closes the door before approaching. “Are you alright?”

 

You glance up before looking away, mumbling “I’m not fast enough yet.” Skywalker half-chuckles, nervously before sitting down next to you. You sigh. “What are you doing in here, Farm Boy?”

 

He looks away. “The Chancellor wants you terminated.”

 

You tense before using the Force to pull your lightsaber into your hand. “When?”

 

“I talked her out of it.” You look at him to see him watching you, his eyes on your face rather than the lightsaber in your hand. “Persuaded her you could still be useful to us, you’re welcome.”

 

“You can be very annoying sometimes, you know,” you comment, replacing your weapon on the bedside table before glancing at him again, your expression softening slightly. “But thank you.” He smiles at you. “Your friends don’t trust me, do they?”

 

“Not really,” Skywalker admits. “Well, Leia certainly doesn’t, the others are just a bit uncertain. But they’ll come around, I know they will.”

 

You shrug. “It’s alright. I’m used to people not trusting me.”

 

“Well, _I_ trust you.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because the Force tells me I can.”

 

You blink, more touched than you care to admit. “Y-you know,” you say, suddenly a little shy for the first time since knowing him, “everything I’ve told you is true, although I think you know that already.”

 

Skywalker nods. “I do.” You glance down, scuffing the toe of your boot against the floor. “Bored?”

 

“It’s not exactly a nightclub in here, stuck staring at four walls all the time,” you murmur.

 

“We could play Dejarik,” Skywalker suggests after a moment.

 

You raise an eyebrow. “Really?”

 

“Would you prefer Sabacc?”

 

You laugh. “No, trust me, you _don’t_ want to play me at cards!”

 

“Why?” Skywalker grins, playfully. “Will I lose my life?”

 

“You’ll lose your shirt!” you laugh, blushing, before realising you love the expression on Skywalker’s face when he’s startled and adding “And then the rest of your clothing too!”

 

He laughs. “Okay, definitely Dejarik, then! I’ll get the board!”

 

For some reason, you start giggling and only sober up when he gets back. You haven’t played Dejarik in a long time but you quickly remember how it goes. It turns out that Skywalker is pretty competitive when it comes to games and it isn’t long before the pair of you are playing best out of eighteen games. You’re actually tempted to suggest Sabacc just to get him to take his shirt off, again. In the end, you win and Skywalker concedes defeat.

 

“Alright, alright, I guess I’m not as good as I remember,” he grins, holding up his hands.

 

“You didn’t just let me win, did you?” you ask, suddenly suspicious.

 

“Would I?”

 

You frown, reading his thoughts through the Force, and then hit him with your pillow. “I don’t believe you, Farm Boy, you played badly on purpose!”

 

“Only that last game, I swear!” Skywalker insists, laughing as you keep battering him with your pillow. _“(Y/N),_ cut it out!”

 

“Make me!” you laugh.

 

Skywalker leaps at you before you’re ready for it, knocking you both onto the bed. The Dejarik board fells to the floor, the holo-figures on it switching off but neither of you care about it as you both start to laugh, Skywalker attempting to grab your pillow as you attempt to hit him with it. Somehow you lessen your grip on it and Skywalker tosses it to one side before pinning your arms above your head so you can’t hit him anymore. Memories of being in this position before suddenly flood through you and you gasp “Let me go, please!”

 

Reading your emotions, Skywalker lets go and clambers off you at once, retreating to the end of your bed. _“(Y/N),_ I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you!”

 

“No, I know you didn’t, it’s fine.” You lower your arms and roll on your side, curling up. “It’s just...I don’t think I’m ever going to get over that.”

 

Skywalker crawls up to lie beside you, facing you. _“(Y/N),_ you’re not weak. You’re strong.” You flicker your eyes to his. “You’re the strongest person I know, because you went through all that and you came out of it alive.”

 

“And broken,” you murmur.

 

“You’re not the only one.” Skywalker holds up his right hand. You frown, not sure what he means. “It’s not real, it’s a prosthetic. I lost my hand fighting with my father on Bespin. No one told you?”

 

You shake your head. “I had no idea it wasn’t real.” Then, you glance down at your feet. “You’re braver than I thought, Skywalker.”

 

“I think you’re pretty brave too,” Skywalker murmurs.

 

You glance back up at him, feeling like a barrier’s finally been lifted between the two of you, like something’s shifted...and yet, you feel like there’s still something, or rather someone, pulling you back on an invisible leash. You move a little closer to him, trying to make it look like you’re just getting comfortable and close your eyes, not because you’re tired but because you’re feeling relaxed in his presence. You feel him start to get up and, still with your eyes shut, you reach out and grab his shoulder. Skywalker stops, looking first at your hand on his arm and then at your serene, peaceful expression.

 

“Stay,” you murmur. “Please.”

 

Unable to hide his smile, Skywalker settles himself back next to you again. “Okay.” He watches as you drift off to sleep, your chest rising and falling peacefully and wonders again how anyone could have wanted to hurt you. True, there was a time when the pair of you could have killed each other, but he can’t imagine ever deliberately, sadistically beating you to breaking point, and worse, raping you, making you terrified of all human contact. Seeing you like he just had, laughing and playful, that layer of you that had been hidden for so long, makes him even more determined that he’s right about this, there’s definitely good in you. He just needs to find the way to make you believe that.

 

Skywalker soon falls asleep beside you, one arm draped around your waist, but the pair of you are woken by the sudden sound of clomping feet entering the room. Skywalker quickly removes his arm, even though his friends have already seen it, and looks up as they practically stampede into the room. You move more slowly, still dazed by this sudden awakening. “W-what..?”

 

“What’s happened?” Skywalker asks, seeing Solo’s grim expression.

 

“The plans have been stolen. The whole base has been trashed.” Solo has his hands on his hips. “Three people are dead.”

 

You frown, not really sure what this has to do with you. Skywalker on the other hand gets up at once and shakes his head. “It wasn’t _(Y/N)!_ It couldn’t have been!”

 

Realising, you also spring up and stumble as quickly as you can to your door, stopping a few yard away. Beyond your doorway, the room is a wreck, all the equipment smashed up, most of it sliced through, or else turned over. A little way away, the Chancellor is overseeing the covering of a dead body. You step closer to one of the computers and inhale the burning scent that still lingers upon it.

 

Your stomach turns over. A lightsaber. You know who did this.

 

The Chancellor gets to her feet and notices you. “Put the binders on her,” she commands. You take a step back but suddenly Skywalker is right in front of you, shielding you from the troops. “Stand down, Commander.”

 

“No,” Skywalker states, firmly. “She didn’t do this. She couldn’t have. I was with her all night.”

 

“Luke-” the Princess begins.

 

“I would have known if she’d left,” Skywalker insists. He glances at you. “I’d have felt it.”

 

“I didn’t do this...” you whisper, staring at the chaos.

 

“Search her room,” the Chancellor commands.

 

“Wait.” Calrissian steps forwards, frowning. “Something’s not right about this.” He glances at you. “If she had stolen the plans back, why would she still be here? Wouldn’t she run? It doesn’t make sense.”

 

Solo nods. “You’re right. It doesn’t.”

 

“Don’t ask me how a Sith’s mind works,” the Chancellor begins, “the point is-”

 

Your lightsaber flies into your hand and you ignite it, although you don’t raise it. Nevertheless, all the troops raise their blasters. “I’m _not_ a Sith!” You look right into her eyes. “I’m _not_ my father!”

 

Skywalker’s hand comes up to motion for you to lower your weapon. “It’s alright,” he murmurs.

 

You look him in the eyes, beginning to lower your lightsaber. “You know I didn’t do this.”

 

Before Skywalker can say anything, one of the troops, who’s been quivering violently in anticipation this whole time, sees you lower your weapon and accidently fires his blaster. Thankfully, it’s only set to stun but you still gasp when it hits you and you fall forwards. Skywalker catches you before you hit the ground and shoots the trooper a glare before picking you up and carrying you back into the room.

 

“Chancellor, my brother could be right about this,” the Princess says, slowly. “She might know who really did do this and where they are now.”

 

“She’s not exactly lied to Luke yet,” Solo adds, nodding.

 

The Chancellor sighs. “We have wasted enough time with her already.”

 

“Just give him a moment,” the Princess insists. “She’ll talk to him.”

 

“You’d better be right about this,” Mon Mothma warns before turning and leaving. The trio exchange a glance and walk into your room, where they find Skywalker sitting on your bed with your legs draped over his lap, your head on your pillow. He glances up at them.

 

“She’ll be alright. I know she’ll tell us who did this.” Even as he says it, you stir, raising your fingers to your forehead to try and stem the groggy feeling in your temples, a lingering after effect of being stunned. Skywalker glances at you, worried. “Hey, are you alright?”

 

“I didn’t do this,” you mumble, ignoring his question.

 

“I know you didn’t,” Skywalker replies, and you shoot him a grateful look.

 

Calrissian steps forwards. “Do you have any idea who did do it?”

 

“Why? Because I’m the bad guy?” You snipe, although you know deep down it was an effort for him to ask that question without making it sound like he thinks you did it. You shake your head. “This has Darth Sauron’s stamp all over it. The plans’ll be halfway back to Mustafar by now.”

 

Skywalker frowns. “Darth Sauron?”

 

“Another Sith?” the Princess adds, also frowning.

 

You shoot her a look. _“No._ Darth Sauron’s next in line of command after Palpatine. You think _I’m_ a ruthless murderer? He’s ten times worse. Those men out there never stood a chance.”

 

“Why Mustafar?” Solo chimes in. “That’s practically all charred rock and volcanic lava.”

 

“It’s also the site of Fortress Vader and therefore the least likely place to be searched for a hidden base by the Rebel Alliance,” you reply, shortly. Skywalker watches you as you reel off this information but you try your best not to notice how uncomfortable he’s making you feel. You do notice, however, the way the Princess twitches slightly when you mention Fortress Vader, although you’re not entirely sure why.

 

“So this Darth Sauron’s taking the plans back to your base on Mustafar?” Calrissian confirms. You raise one shoulder in a half-shrug as if to say “I guess so” without actually bothering to try and say it. “Where, presumably, work’ll continue on this new Death Star?” You half-shrug again.

 

“Why are you telling us all this?” the Princess asks, suspiciously. Skywalker shoots her a reprimanding look but she ignores him. “Betraying your side?”

 

“You’d have followed me if I’d run away from here, so you’d have found out anyway,” you snipe, stubbornly. “I might as well give you a head start.”

 

The Princess tugs Solo to one side, beckoning with her head for Skywalker to join them. Calrissian also retreats over to them as Skywalker, with obvious reluctance, moves your legs off his and goes over to his friends. You narrow your eyes, able to hear their conversation via the Force. How silly can this woman get?

 

“I don’t think we should trust her,” the Princess says. “It could be a trap.”

 

“On the other hand, if she’s telling the truth, we’d be letting the Emperor’s followers win,” Solo points out.

 

“She’s not lying,” Skywalker insists. “I can feel she’s telling the truth.” He lowers his tone. “Listen, whoever this Darth Sauron is, she’s terrified of him. I could feel it pouring out of her when she talked about him just now.”

 

“If what she says _is_ true and he’s worse than she is...how are we expected to win?” Calrissian murmurs.

 

“We’ve blown up two Death Stars before,” Solo reminds him. “If this one’s still in the early stages of development, then regardless of what she says, it shouldn’t be too difficult to destroy.”

 

They turn and you look up as Mon Mothma walks into the room. “Well, Commander?”

 

“We know who really did this now,” Skywalker tells her, automatically taking a step closer to you as if to shield you from her. “We have to go to Mustafar if we want to stop construction on this Death Star.”

 

“If we take the Falcon, we’ll be there in no time,” Solo adds.

 

Of course, Mon Mothma looks visibly uncomfortable about this but she nods. “Take extra forces with you, just in case.” Her eyes land on you as she fixes you with the kind of stern look you’d expect from your mother rather a Rebel Chancellor. You know that’s because, for all of her bravado, she’s still scared of you deep down. “You’d better not be lying about this, your Highness, your life’s already on the line as it is.”

 

“She’s coming with us,” Skywalker cuts in before the Chancellor can go on. He glances at you, meaningfully. “And she won’t kill anyone.”

 

The Chancellor fixes his gaze with a steady one of her own. “For all our sake, Commander, I pray you’re right about this. But if we don’t hear from you within a few hours, we will attack. Admiral, I want you to have a fleet ready and waiting.”

 

She leaves and a moment later the other do too, Solo stating he needs to gather some extra troops for the looming task ahead. Alone with Skywalker, you lie back on the bed and massage your temples, the groggy feeling finally starting to wear off. Silently, Skywalker sits beside you. Feeling his eyes on you, you finally sigh. _“What,_ Skywalker? What’s with the look?”

 

“I can feel you’re terrified.”

 

“Shut up.”

 

“Why? Why does he scare you so much?”

 

“I don’t want to talk about this,” you insist, shoving yourself up on your elbows.

 

Skywalker frowns. “Who is he, _(Y/N)?”_

 

You look away. “He’s the Emperor’s son, alright?”

 

Skywalker leans closer to you. “Your brother?”

 

“Half-brother.” Your tone becomes bitter. “The child my father actually wanted. The favourite one. His heir to the Empire.” You slide off the bed before you can lose your temper and break something with your lightsaber. Your foot is almost completely healed now, just a little stiff but you’re finally able to walk unaided. “Come on, then.” You hold out your wrists to him. “Get it over with.”

 

Skywalker manages a smile. _“(Y/N),_ I’m not going to put binders on you. You’re not my prisoner.”

 

You blink at him. “You trust me not to hurt someone?”

 

He get to his feet and you resist the urge to swallow because you’ve forgotten he’s just that little bit taller than you are and standing so close to him when he’s looking at you the way he is now is making your stomach flutter oddly. Suddenly you’re reminded of the first time you met him, how you were unable to kill him even though a huge part of you wanted to and how you were unable to get him out of your head afterwards.

 

“I trust you,” Skywalker murmurs, simply.

 

You take a step back, nodding. “Fine, don’t bind me, then, but your friends clearly want to get going, so let’s not disappoint them, shall we?”


	6. Rewrite The Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You are the Emperor’s daughter, Darth Nova, and you first met Luke Skywalker on a mission to kill him after the destruction of the first Death Star. Since then you have met and clashed on several occasions; yet after your father is finally killed and you find yourself captured by the Rebels, Luke convinces them to keep you alive?
> 
> Why? 
> 
> That’s kind of complicated.
> 
> Is it really possible to rewrite the stars in a world where your fates are already mapped out for you?

All eyes bore into you as you cross to board the Millenium Falcon, unbound and with your lightsaber tucked ominously into your belt, but you do your best to ignore them. You’ve grown used to the fact that none of them trust you, except Skywalker, although you could do without his sister shooting you surreptitious looks of suspicion every now and again.

 

It doesn’t surprise you when Solo gives the order for everyone else aboard – that being yourself, Skywalker, the Princess, Calrissian, the Wookie, two droids and four Rebel soldiers – to buckle up that Skywalker seats himself next to you in one of the other rooms rather than with his friends in the control room. He keeps glancing at the others as if challenging them to try anything with you, and you’re silently grateful for his aid, although it’s really not necessary, since he knows you could easily kill anyone who dares lay a finger, or more, on you. Thankfully, none of them try anything and the second the ship is stable, they all rush out of the room as if just being within a few metres of you hurts them physically.

 

Solo appears in the doorway. “We’ll be at Mustafar in about two hours.” He glances at you. “So, how far into construction is this new Death Star of yours, then?”

 

“It’s still in the preliminary stage, all the information’s on computers whilst Sauron’s men work out all the kinks,” you reel off, flatly, unbuckling your seatbelt and getting to your feet. “In any physical sense, it doesn’t actually exist, so you don’t need to worry about blowing anything up, Solo. And for the record, it’s not _my_ Death Star.”

 

Solo raises his hands in silently apology and leaves. You wander over to the window and stare out at the endless miles of scattered stars, wishing you could just jump out of the ship and land on one, let it carry you away out of this life and into some new place where you’re not the Emperor’s unwanted, unloved daughter, where you were never abused or hated as a child, just loved and cared for...where you could possibly have someone like Skywalker all the time...

 

“You don’t want to be here,” Skywalker states, getting to his feet.

 

“Stop reading my mind,” you sigh.

 

“I’m not reading your mind.”

 

“My feelings, then.”

 

Skywalker moves to your side. _“(Y/N),_ you don’t have to be here. You could run; why don’t you?”

 

“I can’t.” You stare out of the window, seeing his reflection behind you moving closer. Somehow it’s easier to talk to him like this than directly facing him. “This is my destiny.”

 

Skywalker shakes his head. “Well, I don’t believe that destiny controls everything.”

 

You shrug. “I guess that’s the difference between you and me then, Skywalker.” Staring out at the stars, you sigh. “You wouldn’t understand. I have to go back.”

 

“And then what?” Luke moves to stand beside you. His presence burns like the rivers of Mustafar.

 

“I don’t really like to think about that just yet,” you reply, bluntly. Skywalker’s hand is so close to yours you can feel the backs of his fingers starting to brush up against yours. When you don’t pull away, they creep further, starting to curl around yours. Terrified, you step away from him. “Don’t...”

 

Skywalker sighs. _“(Y/N),_ you know we’re not enemies, not really. You’ve always known.”

 

“It can’t be that way, Skywalker,” you state, folding your arms, although you don’t look at him, and nor do you tick him off for using your name.

 

“You mean you _think_ it’s not meant to be that way.”

 

“No, I mean-”

 

“No one can write our fates for us, _(Y/N)._ Not even your father, not even your brother.” Skywalker looks intently into your eyes. For a minute, you’re really tempted to give in and let him kiss you, maybe even more. You trust him and yet you can’t be with him. “You have to believe that.”

 

“Forgive me, but I don’t.” You step away from him. Skywalker looks at your back, trying to work out how to convince you to let go of this stubborn resolution, to prove to you that things can change if you both want them to. Then:

 

_“You know I want you,_

_“It’s not a secret I try to hide...”_

You look back in surprise. Of all people in the world, you had never imagined Luke Skywalker breaking into song.

 

_“I know you want me,_

_“So don’t keep saying our hands are tied...”_

Skywalker steps closer to you.

 

_“You claim it’s not in the cards_

_“And fate is pulling you miles away_

_“And out of reach from me,_

_“But you’re here in my heart...”_

He takes your hand and this time you’re too bewildered to stop him as he brings it up to his chest, covering it with his other hand.

 

_“So who can stop me if I decide that you’re my destiny?”_

Skywalker pulls you into the middle of the room.

 

_“What if we rewrite the stars?_

_“Say you were made to be mine,_

_“Nothing could keep us apart,_

_“You’d be the one I was meant to find...”_

Slowly, Skywalker moves one hand to grasp your waist and you let him, entranced by his words.

 

_“It’s up to you,_

_“And it’s up to me...”_

Dropping your hand, Skywalker moves his other hand to your waist and somehow your free hand finds refuge against his chest too.

 

_“No one can say what we get to be...”_

Skywalker looks to the stars beyond the window and you follow his gaze, seeing the pair of you softly reflected in the glass.

 

_“So why don’t we rewrite the stars?_

_“Maybe the world could be ours, tonight.”_

“All you say,” you murmur, “sounds so...impossible.”

 

Skywalker sighs as you pull away from him. _“(Y/N)...”_

 

_“You think it’s easy?”_

You turn to him.

 

_“You think I don’t want to run to you?_

_“But there are mountains,_

_“And there are doors that we can’t walk through...”_

You turn away from him again, folding your arms.

 

_“I know you’re wondering why,_

_“Because we’re able to be just you and me,_

_“Within these walls...”_

You turn to face him again.

 

_“But when we go outside, you’re gonna wake up and see that it was hopeless after all...”_

You push past him and face the window, both arms up, hands pressed against the glass. Your reflection is in one panel whilst Skywalker’s is in another, separated now.

 

_“No one can rewrite the stars,_

_“How can you say you’re mine?_

_“Everything keeps us apart,_

_“And I’m not the one you were meant to find...”_

You spin about and circle him.

 

_“It’s not up to you,_

_“It’s not up to me,_

_“When everyone tells us what we can be...”_

You stop and the pair of you stare into each other’s eyes, although you feel like you’re faltering.

 

_“How can we rewrite the stars?_

_“Say that the world can be ours, tonight?”_

Skywalker grabs your waist with one hand and you do the same to him as you both circle each other, like you’re dancing.

 

_“All I want is to fly with you,_

_“All I want is to fall with you,_

_“So just give me all of you...”_

You stop and turn away.

 

_“It feels impossible...”_

Luke shakes his head.

 

_“It’s not impossible.”_

You start to walk away.

 

_“Is it impossible?”_

Luke grabs your hand and spins you to him. You look up at him.

 

_“Say that it’s possible!”_

A sudden wave of confidence, followed by a strange giddy feeling, comes over you. Is this what happiness is? You smile and he returns it.

 

_“How do we rewrite the stars?_

_“Say you were made to be mine...”_

You throw your arms around his neck as he pulls you closer.

 

_“Nothing can keep us apart,_

_“’Cause you are the one I was meant to find...”_

Skywalker dips you and you giggle before you both straighten up.

 

_“It’s up to you,_

_“And it’s up to me,_

_“No one can say what we get to be...”_

Skywalker picks you up and places you on the table. You grip the front of his shirt, looking up at him.

 

_“Why don’t we rewrite the stars?_

_“Changing the world to be ours...”_

Your smiles fade as you look at each other. Skywalker leans in closer and your heart starts to stutter as his breath ghosts your lips. Behind him, you catch a glance of the upcoming planet through the window and place your hand on his chest to stop him.

 

_“You know I want you,_

_“It’s not a secret I try to hide...”_

You look down.

 

_“But I can’t have you...”_

Gently pushing him away, you jump down from the table, putting distance between the pair of you again.

 

_“We’re bound to break and my hands...are tied.”_

You walk away from him without looking back. As you pass through the door, you almost collide with the Princess, and the pair of you recoil from one another, before you turn and make your way into the control room. Calrissian glances up as you come in but doesn’t say anything; he and Solo both too intently focused on the planet in front of them. The Wookie gives a soft grunt as you walk in but you ignore him, fold your arms and lean in the doorway, trying to put everything that just happened with Skywalker out of your mind.

 

Only you can’t.

 

Because it’s true, there is so much of you now that wants to run to him and never let go, but it’s impossible, no matter what he says. You know now what it is about him that meant you couldn’t kill him all those years ago. You saw it the way he looked at you moments ago. He was the only person to look at you and not see a killer or a plaything. He just saw a person, a woman. He saw the real you.

 

As the surface of the planet looms up ahead, you do your best to close your mind to Sauron, because he’s always been able to read your fear like an open book. There are no air forces lying in wait to attack the Falcon as it descends, but you don’t regard that as any sign of safety. Sauron’s never been one for just rushing in, always wanting to see how an enemy plan will play out first before defending himself at the last second.

 

“There it is.” Having exited the ship, you point to the towers in the distance. “Your father’s castle.”

 

Skywalker nods. “Well, they let us through, is that good?”

 

“No, there’ll be spies all over this place,” you reply, dully. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we were ambushed right now.”

 

Skywalker casually lets his hand fall as close to his lightsaber as possible when you say that. Behind you, the others emerge, the Wookie now armed with a crossbow whilst the Princess, Solo and Calrissian are all pocketing blasters. Solo glances at you. “Well? Where’s the welcome party? I thought they’d be glad to have you home.”

 

You stride away from him, purposefully making for the fortress, whilst Skywalker quietly reveals to Solo that he just put his foot in it. Barely have you made it five steps, however, when up they spring from behind the rocks, their white armour a stark contrast to the charred black and red, Stormtroopers, all pointing their blasters at your group.


	7. Your Side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You are the Emperor’s daughter, Darth Nova, and you first met Luke Skywalker on a mission to kill him after the destruction of the first Death Star. Since then you have met and clashed on several occasions; yet after your father is finally killed and you find yourself captured by the Rebels, Luke convinces them to keep you alive?
> 
> Why? 
> 
> That’s kind of complicated.
> 
> Is it really possible to rewrite the stars in a world where your fates are already mapped out for you?

It’s like your dream all over again, except your captors are in white not black, and wielding blasters instead of red lightsabers, and the one walking towards you isn’t Skywalker but Darth Sauron. If anyone looked closely at you, they would see you’re actually trembling in his presence. It’s not that he’s a giant imposing figure like Darth Vader, in fact he’s more Solo’s height than that, but all the memories he brings with him that reduce you, you, Darth Nova, the notorious killer, to the status of a frightened child again. Like you, he wears no mask but you wish he would, so you can pretend he’s not the same man who terrifies you in your dreams every night.

 

Meanwhile, your companions have all drawn their own blasters, and the Wookie has his crossbow at the ready. Only Skywalker hasn’t drawn his weapon, instead he’s out-staring Sauron intently, reading him, you know, and you really wish he wouldn’t, because he won’t like what he finds.

 

“Nova.” You shudder inwardly, because he’s making it sound like the two of you are friends, more than friends, partners in crime and it’s never been that way for the two of you, ever. It’s a creepy purr in a perfect imitation of your father. He gestures with his head. “Come here.”

 

Holding your head up high, you do as your told, ignoring Skywalker’s thought of _“(Y/N), you don’t have to do what he says!”_ You feel Sauron’s smirk of triumph as you crawl back to where you think you belong, as he knew you would.

 

_“(Y/N), please!”_

 

_“I’m sorry, Farm, Boy.”_

 

As you come up level with Sauron, he reaches out and grabs your elbow painfully, masked from the view of Skywalker and the others. You wince. “I knew you’d fail!” he hisses in your ear.

 

“Why did you make me carry the plans, then?” you can’t help whispering back.

 

“Better _you_ get killed by the Rebels than me.” He pushes you aside using the Force, and you slam into the rock face like a child’s toy being tossed to one side. You hear the sound of Skywalker’s lightsaber igniting as you fall to the ground, dazed but otherwise alright. “So, this is what the Rebel Alliance sends to destroy our new Empire? Four humans, a Wookie and two droids?”

 

“Yeah, we’re like the start of a bad joke,” Solo comments, dryly.

 

Sauron chuckles. “Alright, well, what’s stopping you? Go ahead.” He spreads his arms. “Blast me into a million pieces. Win the fight. There’ll only be another Emperor and another Death Star more powerful than the last. You can’t win this fight.”

 

“Neither can you, because there’ll always be more Rebels than us,” Skywalker replies, glancing in your direction as you struggle to your feet, wanting more than anything to run to your side but at the same time not daring to move in case the Stormtroopers kill his friends.

 

Sauron smirks. “So you’re Skywalker? I can see why my father wanted you on our side. Of course, it’s not too late for you to change your mind.” Skywalker says nothing. “No? Don’t say I didn’t offer.” He fixes the others with a serious look. “Drop your weapons.”

 

Calrissian frowns. “Or what? You’ll torture us with the Force? Bring it on!”

 

Sauron does “bring it on” but not to Calrissian, nor to Solo, the Princess, the Wookie or even Skywalker. He points one hand in your direction and before you have time to react, the blue lightning is coursing through your body again. Heck, you’ve been so long away from people who liked causing you pain you’ve almost forgotten what it’s like. You scream, dropping your lightsaber as you keel over, the rip of a thousand shocks running through your body all at once.

 

“NO!” Skywalker disables and throws down his lightsaber, turning to the others. “Drop your blasters!” They immediately do so, equally shocked by Sauron’s treatment of his own sister, the Wookie letting out a growl of disapproval. At last they see what Skywalker has always seen. Sauron stops torturing you and uses the Force to call Skywalker’s lightsaber into his hand.

 

“Nova, the blasters, if you please,” he intones.

 

You roll over, not fully recovered from his torment, but you still manage to summon the strength to call the blasters and the Wookie’s crossbow over to you using the Force. Skywalker throws you a pleading look and you look away, not wanting to meet his eyes.

 

_“(Y/N), you can’t go back to this. He’ll kill you.”_

_“I have no choice.”_

 

You manage to get to your feet as the Stormtroopers round up Skywalker’s party, the gold droid panicking whilst his counterpart bleeps in defiance, and the Wookie also voices his dissatisfaction.

 

_“Yes, you do! Come with us!”_

_“I can’t!”_

_“(Y/N), I won’t let anyone hurt you ever again! I swear it!”_

 

You raise your eyes finally to his. To anyone else his look is just steady but there’s more behind his blue eyes than they can see. You see real concern, want, need, in there, and something you can’t quite describe. He’s so desperate for you to go with him...

 

_“I wasn’t born for your life, Skywalker.”_

_“Yes, you were! They couldn’t beat it out of you completely! You couldn’t kill me when we first met, even though you wanted to, remember? I’ve seen and felt all the good in you, you need to trust it’s there!”_ There’s a pause as you both stare into each other’s eyes. _“I know you’re afraid because he’s hurt you so many times before but he can’t hurt you if you stand up to him.”_

 

You look away, pained memories of your father encouraging your brother to test his Force lightning powers on you, as well as all his other violent powers, mingles with the memories of Sauron bullying you at night, sneaking into your room when you were trying to sleep just to pull your hair, shake you and tell you that you were useless or else slap you and slam you into the wall until it felt like every bone in your body was broken, stirring again in your mind and you feel tears spring into your eyes. You can remember your father’s cruel chuckle as your screams echoed throughout the building, remember his whispers of “Good, good, your skills are improving...” and Sauron’s triumphant smirk before you passed out, only to wake to more pain and suffering later on.

 

_“Fight him back, (Y/N), I know you can. You never deserved any of this.”_

 

You feel the Stormtroopers pass with Skywalker’s party but Sauron holds up his hand to stop Skywalker. “Not this one, men.” He snaps his fingers in your direction and you raise your head. “Nova, go with the prisoners, do something useful for once in your life.” You turn and follow the Stormtroopers to the Fortress, not daring to look at Skywalker again, not letting Sauron see your feelings for him. “Isn’t she wonderfully doggedly obedient?” Sauron comments, as though he and Skywalker are old friends talking about the weather. “If only she were a little more competent.”

 

It’s an effort for Skywalker to keep his temper right now. He’s always been hotheaded and reckless but he knows that striking your brother down where he stands isn’t the Jedi way, and he’ll never turn to the Dark Side. Still, he feels the need to stand up for you.

 

“She seems perfectly competent from where I’m standing,” he states.

 

Sauron snorts with laughter. “That’s only because you’ve fallen in love with her.” He turns his head to Skywalker. “Your thoughts betray you, Skywalker. I pity you, losing your head over a worthless little scrap like her.”

 

“She’s stronger than you know,” Skywalker counters.

 

“She’s no more fit to rule the galaxy than Vader was!” Sauron snaps. “But enough talk. I want to see if you’re really the fighter he claimed you were.” He tosses Skywalker’s lightsaber at his feet and ignites his own. “It’s ironic, really. This is where your father almost lost his life once. I wonder what he’d think if he knew his only son was about to lose his in the exact same place.”

 

“You’re too overconfident.” Skywalker grabs his weapon with the Force. “And that’s why you’re going to fail this time.”

 

With an angry scowl, Sauron brings down his weapon and Skywalker just manages to duck in time to avoid being burnt. Once again, it’s a flash of two opposite colours striking against one another, one seeking to kill, the other seeking to defeat, only this time it’s not you Skywalker’s battling.

 

Meanwhile, you trail behind the Stormtroopers as they herd Skywalker’s friends into the heart of the Fortress, which has been turned into the main control area for the construction of the new Death Star. Every computer shows the layout of the complex design and on seeing it, the Princess gives a little gasp of fear.

 

“You’re not going to get away with this,” Solo threatens his captors. “We have back-up forces already on their way.”

 

You, meanwhile, are thinking about two things; two separate sentences uttered by your brother and Skywalker.

 

_“I’ve seen and felt all the good in you, you need to trust it’s there!”_

_“Do something useful for once in your life.”_

“Stop!” you command, suddenly. The Stormtroopers abruptly stop and one of them turns to you. “Plans have changed.” You assume the air of authority that you always used before when about to kill someone. “Leave the prisoners here with me.”

 

The Stormtrooper flinches, slightly. “Your Highness, our orders-”

 

“Your orders have changed.”

 

“But Darth Sauron-”

 

“-Has spoken to me through the Force just now and wants me to take charge of them.” You fix him with a stern look. “Do you dare defy a Princess?”

 

“No, your Highness.”

 

“Then do as I say.” You then reach out with the Force for that Jedi mind trick that had always proved so useful in the past. “Drop your blasters and go and lock yourselves in the dungeon, that’s an order.”

 

The Stormtroopers all drop their blasters and walk away. Ignoring the startled looks on the Princess, Solo, Calrissian and the Wookie’s faces, you draw your lightsaber and walk over to the Commander, sitting at the leading computer. He looks up as you approach, a sly smirk coming over his face and you try not to grimace. He was one of the first to have his way with you when your virginity was offered up all those years ago.

 

“Princess?” he sneers. “To what do I owe the pleasure-?”

 

You cut him off, literally, slitting his throat with your lightsaber. “No more pleasure for you, Commander,” you say, before looking up at the other workers, all of whom are watching you in abject horror. You point to the nearest one with your lightsaber. “Shut down the computers, delete all the plans.”

 

“But we can’t do that, your High-”

 

Using the Force, you snatch a blaster from the floor and aim it at his head. “I said. Shut. Them. Down.” Without another word of protest, the man quickly gets to work, as do his fellows. You glance at Solo. “Keep an eye on them.”

 

Leaving them all gawping in your wake, you rush off to find Sauron and Skywalker. A second later, you hear Solo ordering the men to follow through, with the Wookie roaring in agreement, or at least you think it’s agreement, or perhaps it’s a threat. At any rate, if they can delete the files that are already downloaded on the computers and you can destroy the plans, which you know Sauron will have on him, not wanting anyone to take them from his hands again, then you can stop construction of the Death Star without having to blow anyone up.

 

You locate Skywalker and your brother quickly, without even having to use the Force. Their battle has taken them atop one of the jagged black cliffs overlooking the sea of lava.

 

“It won’t work you know, Skywalker!” Out of your earshot, Sauron taunts your one-time rival as they continue to battle one another. They’re pretty well-matched in skill, you have to admit, to say Sauron’s been trained in this all his life and Skywalker only a few years. It must be a family trait, you decide. “She won’t love you back! She’s had all her compassion beaten out of her!”

 

“Not quite,” Skywalker argues. “There’s still Light left in her. You haven’t snuffed it out completely.”

 

Their blades clash again in a frenzy of light. You gasp as the next blow knocks Skywalker off his feet, but he quickly parries back and springs up again like a true Jedi. Sauron smirks. “They taught you well, I’m impressed.” Blade meets blade once more. “But you won’t win this time. If she doesn’t finish you off, I will.”

 

“Killing me won’t win you this war, Sauron,” Skywalker replies.

 

Sauron shrugs. “Perhaps, but at least I can finish what _my_ father began before _yours_ betrayed him!” This sudden memory seems to drive him incessantly determined to kill Skywalker, the anger of the Sith raging through him and Skywalker only now begins to realise how dangerous this man is, and that you weren’t lying when you called him ten times worse than you. It’s the most difficult fight he’s ever had to face, more so than facing down his father the first time, and he’s not certain how it’s meant to end. He doesn’t really want to kill Sauron, even in self-defence, but it’s the only way to set you free.

 

As their blades push each other apart, you take a chance, us the Force, jump up and land neatly between the pair of them, facing your brother. They both glance at you, somewhat taken aback by your sudden materialisation.

 

“I’ll take it from here,” you say, with more confidence than you’ve ever felt before in your life.

 

“I don’t need your help, Nova,” Sauron growls.

 

“I wasn’t talking to you,” you say, stepping to Skywalker’s side and finally allowing him to grab your hand.


	8. Victory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You are the Emperor’s daughter, Darth Nova, and you first met Luke Skywalker on a mission to kill him after the destruction of the first Death Star. Since then you have met and clashed on several occasions; yet after your father is finally killed and you find yourself captured by the Rebels, Luke convinces them to keep you alive?
> 
> Why? 
> 
> That’s kind of complicated.
> 
> Is it really possible to rewrite the stars in a world where your fates are already mapped out for you?

Sauron’s initial look of wide-eyed wonder is quickly replaced by a sneer of contempt. “Fine, I don’t really care which of you I kill first.” You let go of Skywalker’s hand and step forwards, your free hand gesturing for him not to help you unless it’s necessary. You have to do this and he knows it. “I’ll finish the Emperor’s work one way or another.”

 

“Actually, you won’t,” you reply, coolly. Suddenly he’s nothing to be afraid of, just another man like all the ones you’ve killed before. “The Rebels are deleting the Death Star files even as we speak.” You pull the plans from his pocket to your hand with the Force. “Once I destroy this, there’s no way you can build another.”

 

Sauron pales visibly and you keep a tight grip on the plans, knowing the ultimate battle over them is about to begin. He has the tip of his lightsaber at your throat in a second. “Nova, you’ll give those back to me and you’ll walk away now before I throw you off this cliff.”

 

You take a deep breath, finding strength in the Force. “No, Sauron. This ends now.” And you use Force Push to throw him backwards off his feet. Skywalker steps forward, ready to defend you as you begin your race to the edge of the cliff, and before Sauron can stop you, Skywalker’s there with his lightsaber against Sauron’s own. Angrily, Sauron fights back, getting to his feet and using his free hand to stop you in your tracks with the Force. You gasp, unable to move your hand to throw the plans into the lava.

 

 _“(Y/N!)”_ Skywalker yelps, still battling Sauron.

 

You close your eyes and concentrate on his words again. _“Fight him back, (Y/N), I know you can...”_ Then you find the Force helping you to slowly release his grip on you. Skywalker backs Sauron away from you, and Sauron’s too busy concentrating on the battle to notice straight away that his hold on you is weakening. Then, with one almighty rush, you feel yourself break free of him with such force than you land on your hands and knees.

 

“That’s not possible...” Sauron breathes.

 

You don’t stop to think about anything, you just throw the plans into the lava with all your strength. They sizzle and melt the second they land, boiling into black nothingness, as though one of the black rocks lining the shores has turned to liquid. But unfortunately, the Force threw you out of your brother’s grip with such force that it’s caused a crack down the side of the cliff. You glance up and meet Skywalker’s eyes, seeing he’s felt it too. A few pebbles break free of the crack and topple down into the lava below. Sauron stops fighting as he notices too that your once stable fighting platform is stable no longer.

 

“This whole thing’s crumbling,” Skywalker murmurs. “We have to move now!”

 

You jump to your feet and the pair of you start to run across the top of the cliff. Sauron turns as you rush past him and races after you. You can hear the rocks below your feet breaking away as the crack begins to widen, hear them falling into the lava below and feel the rushes of steam they send up as they land. Suddenly the ground you’re running on gives way as the crack meets its end and you’re momentarily falling with a scream, Sauron behind you also falling with a cry, until you hear Skywalker yell _“(Y/N),_ no!” and feel his hands grab one of yours. You gasp, feeling something flutter against your other hand, Sauron’s cloak. You grab it even though you haven’t the strength to haul him up with one hand, but deep down you really don’t want him to die. Yes, he’s been your tormentor for all these years, but he’s still your blood brother, after all.

 

“I’ve got you,” Skywalker insists. “Just hold on.”

 

“You can’t pull us both up,” you say.

 

“I can try.” You look down, seeing the river of lava flowing beneath you, greedy for more victims. _“(Y/N),_ I’m not going to let you fall, I promise.” You look back up into his blue eyes, focused straight on your _(E/C)_ ones. “I love you.”

 

Your jaw drops slightly because no one’s ever said those words to you before, not even as a joke.

 

 _“(Y/N)...”_ You glance down at Sauron, startled at hearing him use your real name for the first time ever. For once you see no anger or evil or smugness behind his eyes, you see...is that some kind of compassion in there? Sauron ignites his lightsaber. “Forgive me.”

 

And he slices through his cloak.

 

“No, NO!” You shout as he falls, willing him to save himself with the Force, but he doesn’t. He lets himself fall into the lava and all you can do is shout “No! No, Sauron! No!” as it swallows him up without sound.

 

 _“(Y/N),_ give me your hand!” Skywalker yelps. You do so without a second thought and he pulls you up into his arms, easily. You’re trembling as you stare over the edge of the cliff, seeing your brother really is gone, just like the Death Star plans, and for the first time in years, you start to cry. Skywalker wraps both arms around you tightly as you lean against him, stroking your hair and whispering softly “I’ve got you...I’ve got you...”

 

“Luke?” Skywalker looks up to see Calrissian standing behind him. His friend frowns. “Where’s..?” Skywalker gesture wordlessly over the side of the cliff. “Oh.” Calrissian shuffles his feet awkwardly, not really wanting in interrupt your distress. “Han and Chewie have locked the soldiers in the dungeon. I came to see if you needed any help, but clearly...”

 

“Thanks, Lando,” Skywalker replies, nodding.

 

Calrissian nods. “Leia’s calling Chancellor Mothma now.”

 

He leaves and you finally manage to stop crying. To be honest, you don’t know what to do now. You had no plans past just destroying the plans and you hadn’t expected to be alive after that. Now Skywalker’s sitting here holding you, something you could easily get used to. Though you’re still not one hundred percent certain it’s something you can do. After all, he just said he loved you and you didn’t say it back. It’s not that you don’t, you do, you know you do now, but it’s going to take time for you to be able to say it. You hope he can understand that.

 

 _“(Y/N),_ it’s alright.” You look up at him. “We’ll tell the Chancellor what you did, we’ll make sure she knows you helped us win this.”

 

You glance at the lava below you. “I can’t believe he’s gone now. I mean...I don’t have to be scared anymore...” You shake your head. “Why-why would he do that? Why would he just give up like that?”

 

“He wasn’t giving up.” Skywalker leans closer to you. “He sacrificed himself so I could save you. I guess, buried right deep down there was a tiny flicker of Light in him too. Buried very deep.”

 

You manage a smile and clamber to your feet. On the ground below, you can see Solo, Calrissian and the Princess talking together, still with their blasters in their hands, and casting occasional glances in your direction. You sigh. “Your friends still don’t completely trust me.”

 

“Well, _I_ do.” Skywalker catches your hand and turns you to face him, his eyes focused on yours, asking the question before he actually says it. “Stay with me?”

 

You bite your lip. “Luke, do you really think we’ve got a future togeth-?”

 

He cuts you off by pressing his lips to yours. You jump slightly but don’t pull away because suddenly everything just feels right with the galaxy, and then slowly you kiss him back. His arms wrap around your waist, holding you close to him and you reach your hands up to rest against his chest. When he finally pulls back from the kiss, you blink up at him, a little dazed and breathless but finally realising that this is everything you’ve ever wanted from him all along.

 

“That’s the first time you’ve ever called me by my first name,” Luke beams at you.

 

“Well, get used to it,” you say, cupping his face, “because it’s not going to be the last time.”

 

This time, you’re the one to reach up and kiss him.


	9. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You are the Emperor’s daughter, Darth Nova, and you first met Luke Skywalker on a mission to kill him after the destruction of the first Death Star. Since then you have met and clashed on several occasions; yet after your father is finally killed and you find yourself captured by the Rebels, Luke convinces them to keep you alive?
> 
> Why? 
> 
> That’s kind of complicated.
> 
> Is it really possible to rewrite the stars in a world where your fates are already mapped out for you?

There’s a horrible feeling inside you, an uncomfortable feeling you can’t shake no matter which way you turn in your sleep. You try to ignore it but in the end it consumes you so much that you have to admit defeat and sit up. Beside you, Luke raises his head, feeling you shift beneath his arm. It’s tempting to tease him for the way his hair has tousled in his sleep but the feeling in you’s becoming too heavy for that.

 

 _“(Y/N),_ are you alright?” he murmurs, tiredly.

 

“No.” You grimace as you push the covers off you. “She’s on my bladder and now I have to pee.”

 

No, it’s not some feeling that’s coming to you through the Force that’s keeping you from sleeping, but the physical feeling of your unborn baby moving about that’s woken you up. How something so tiny that hasn’t even taken its first breath yet can do that, you may never know, but you can’t stay too cross with her. The second you found out that you and Luke were expecting you knew you loved her, in spite of the complete lack of love you’d been shown as a child. Luke has provided enough of that for you in the year and a half you’ve been married and you just know that no matter what your child does in life she’ll be happy and loved.

 

You wander over to the refresher, whilst Luke sits up and watches you leave the room. Part of him still can’t believe this has happened. Who would have thought that the woman who was once intent on killing him is now his wife? Certainly not Leia, nor Han, nor Lando, nor even Chewbacca. You had had to work very hard to prove to them that you’d finally given in to the Light Side of the Force and would never turn back to the darkness, never betray or hurt any of them and thankfully Luke had backed you up enough so that eventually, albeit grudgingly, they had started to learn to trust you.

 

Glancing at yourself in the refresher room mirror, you can’t help wondering how much bigger you’ll get. You’re only four months into your pregnancy, and only just beginning to show, really, your stomach comfortably round and not so noticeable when you were fully dressed, especially since black is said to be slimming. Although, you’ve long since ditched the black cloak in favour of a black sleeveless jacket over your red shirt, much more Rebel-style, and that’s helped you win favour with your fellow Rebels, though you still keep the arm guards/gloves, because they look good. Of course, your lightsaber is still red, but it’s not like you can help that, it’s a good weapon and you’re not about to trade it in for a new one any time soon. In fact, Luke even built a lightsaber for your daughter to have one day using a purple kyber crystal to power it, and when you asked him why, he pointed out that when you first met him, his lightsaber was blue and together red and blue make purple. You had smiled and whispered that she would love it when she was old enough to have it.

 

You think back to your wedding night with Luke, how you’d been nervous about sleeping with him for the first time. Of course, Luke had just cradled you in his arms and whispered that you didn’t have to do this if you weren’t ready, or you just didn’t want to, it didn’t have to happen, it was your choice. But you’d murmured back that you both wanted and needed to do this, with him, to help you remember than not all men are wicked. And honestly, it had been the most beautiful night of your life.

 

Smiling, you wander back into your shared bedroom to find him waiting for you. You slide in beside him and kiss him, suddenly feeling the urge to. Honestly, that first kiss sparked something off in you, although you know that Luke is the only man you will ever want to kiss for the rest of your life. And fight with. And beside. And basically have by your side until the end of your days.

 

As Luke’s hand goes to your stomach, you feel your baby kick, as if she somehow knows that’s her father. You both pull apart and gasp because this is the first time she’s ever kicked before.

 

“Did you feel that?” you breathe, although you know he did.

 

“Yeah.” Luke grins as the baby kicks again. “She’s definitely a girl with a kick that strong.” You laugh as he leans closer to your stomach. “Hey, little one. You’re going to be a great fighter one day.”

 

“And yes, that is your daddy talking,” you add, playfully, laying your hand over his. “The one who sounds like he spent his life on a farm.” Luke shoots you a look of mock annoyance and you giggle. He still calls you Princess, you still call him Farm Boy, but it’s no longer with venom now, only affection. Your smile fades as you watch him talking to your baby, remembering his delight when you told him you were pregnant. You supposed that since he’d only known his father recently and you had had such a bad relationship with yours, and both of you longed to have known your mothers better, the pair of you were determined to be the best parents you possibly could for your daughter, and whatever other children you might have one day.

 

“I love you, Luke,” you say, causing him to look up at you. In the two years since defeating your brother at Mustafar, Luke has said it plenty of times but you haven’t, although you’ve tried to let him know you love him in other ways. Now, though, the words come so easily to your lips that you feel slight tears spring to your eyes. “I’m sorry I’ve never said it before.”

 

“You didn’t need to.” Luke kisses you, cupping your face with the hand that isn’t pressed to your stomach. “I love you so much, _(Y/N)._ I’m so glad the Force brought us together that day.”

 

You manage a smile through your tears. “You really believe it was the Force? Not just some happy accident?”

 

Luke grins. “Well, we weren’t exactly happy at the time...” You both giggle. “But, yeah, I think the Force had something to do with it.”

 

You can’t help thinking that maybe he’s right. You were the hardened and yet vulnerable warrior, the killer everyone feared, you needed Luke to awaken the Light that was hiding within you. And Luke, he needed you, by his side to fight, to keep him strong and keep him on the Light Side. You’re two halves now joined together.

 

Perhaps you didn’t need to rewrite your stars after all. Perhaps they were always pulling you both towards this moment. Whatever the case, you’re happier than you’ve ever know could be possible, and all because Luke Skywalker came into your life one evening. Deep down, you suppose in a way, you have to thank your father. That’s something you never thought you’d ever think, but if he hadn’t torn apart Darth Vader’s romance, then Luke might have grown up a completely different person, and you might never have gone after him with the intention of killing him and therefore your paths would never have crossed. Of course he forgave you for all your attempts to kill him a long time ago. And, you suppose, he might not have fallen in love with you if you were anything other than what you are.

 

So, yes, you have a lot to thank your father for.

 

For now, though, you’re content to lie next to your husband and discuss potential baby names until it’s time for you both to rise and begin another day of teaching Younglings to become Jedi Knights in the old Temple on Ahch-To.

 

The End


End file.
